Sakura's Lecourt Chronicles
by 0regina1
Summary: Sakura Kinomoto lives in Lecourt, a country where magic is common and widespread. Despite being born powerless to the powerful Amamiya Clan, Sakura enjoys her life as a Lecourt Private Academy student. Strange things usually happen in Lecourt, but the strange starts to become dangerous soon after her friend's cousin transfers to their school.
1. Sakura and the Transfer Student: Part 1

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._.

* * *

><p>Sakura Kinomoto slept through her alarm again. She quickly changed into her school uniform, grabbed her bag and raced to the dining room. Hopefully there would be enough time for her to eat breakfast and make it before the first bell if she jumped quickly enough.<p>

"Good morning," Sakura called as she entered the sunny dining room. Only her mother, Nadeshiko, was at the table eating.

Her mother was a popular haute couture model and occasionally travelled as part of her job. On the side she taught others to play the organ.

"Are father and brother already at university?"

Her father, Fujitaka, was an archaeology professor at the Lecourt National University but often travelled and brought back magical items relating to his research.

"Yes, however your father cooked breakfast," said Nadeshiko.

Sakura's father was also an excellent good cook.

"Toya had to leave early for football practice."

Sakura was secretly glad that her brother, Toya, wasn't here to tease her about being late again. He'd probably say something along the lines of her magic finally manifesting in the form of a self-inflicting sleeping spell.

If only that were true.

"Aren't you going to be late?"

Sakura looked at the clock. "Hoe!" She couldn't believe that it was this late.

Shoving the self-pity aside she wolfed down her breakfast and put on her shoes. She's lived fourteen years of her life never showing signs of magic. She was fine.

"Do you want me to drop you off at school?" asked Sakura's mother, handing Sakura her lunch.

"It's ok. I'll see you later!" Sakura called. The last time Sakura took her up on the offer her mother crashed the flying staff into the large cherry blossom tree in the park.

Besides, Sakura had her jumping shoes that her cousin and best friend Tomoyo Daidouji enchanted for her birthday. It made her trips more efficient, but, as her brother pointed out, also made her more likely to sleep in.

"Don't forget that we have dinner later at your granduncle's house. We have some guests from Zhonguo coming over."

"I won't forget."

"Take care!" called her mother.

Sakura clicked her heels and took off. If she jumped high enough, it felt like she was flying. But right now she would have to jump low to cover more ground if she wanted to make it to Lecourt Private Academy on time.

* * *

><p>At recess, Sakura was sitting with Tomoyo and their friend Meiling, at their usual bench at the rooftop gardens eating snacks.<p>

"I heard that you made it in six seconds before the bell. That's a new record," said Meiling, laughing.

She was part of the Li Clan, one of the most powerful and influential clans in all of Zhonguo. Smart, striking and fiercely loyal, Meiling became one of Sakura's closest friends since she immigrated to Lecourt two years ago after a competitive start.

"Sakura still looked very cute and refreshing as she came in," added Tomoyo, who was in Sakura's homeroom.

Tomoyo and Sakura's mothers were cousins who were born into the ancient Amamiya Clan. She inherited the clan's strong magical powers and had a beautiful singing voice.

"By the way, Sakura, are you going to the house of my grandfather for dinner tonight?" asked Tomoyo.

Sakura nodded, taking a bite out of the croissant her father baked.

"That is wonderful. Would you like to come over to my place first? I have a new dress for you to wear."

Sakura coughed. She thought that Tomoyo was a little strange at times though; she loved nothing more than getting Sakura to wear the clothes she sewed and then taking photos.

"Meiling is coming to the dinner too," said Tomoyo.

"Really? What's the occasion?"

"Haven't you been listening, Miss Kinomoto?" said Meiling, leaning forward. "I've been telling you all week that my cousin Syaoran is moving over here from Zhonguo!"

"That's so exciting! What kind of person is your cousin?" Sakura asked.

Meiling had stars in her eyes. "He's amazing. He's really kind and strong. My powers are only second to his in our clan's generation," she explained waving her eating utensils around.

Her magic was indeed strong, if sometimes unpredictable. Last week she broke the windows during music class.

"It's going to be extremely fun having your cousin in your classes." Sakura smiled at Tomoyo.

"Of course I know that! I was in his class before I moved here," Meiling said.

The warning bell for midday class rang. Sakura and her friends looked at the clock.

"I'll see you two later," Meiling said leaving quickly.

"Meiling is always in a rush," commented Tomoyo. Sakura agreed.

"By the way," said Meiling, suddenly appearing before them waving a finger in front of them. "Syaoran and I are engaged, so no flirting." Sakura felt Meiling stare into her eyes.

"See you later." Meiling turned and left, long hair trailing behind her.

Sakura saw a surprised expression on Tomoyo's face, mirroring what she felt.

* * *

><p>"Miss Kinomoto is acting strange." Meiling said to Miss Daidouji. She had watched Miss Kinomoto pick up and put down the same book on the shelf three times already.<p>

The three of them were in their class in the library researching topics for their yearlong magical research project. The teachers wanted the outline for their proposed subject by the end of the week.

Meiling had chosen to do research comparing eastern and western traditional medicine, and Miss Daidouji started on integrating magical properties to clothing.

"You don't think that what I said earlier about being engaged to my cousin startled her that much? Does it bother you?" said Meiling, absentmindedly tugging on her hair. She used to be judged harshly for her close relationship with her cousin back in Zhonguo.

Miss Daidouji shook her head.

"You love who you love, is my opinion," she said, hand sewing white lace to a red dress. "As for Sakura, I think that she will accept it, even though she might be a little startled now. However, why do you not ask her directly?"

"I haven't spoken to her since recess even though we were in the same literature class after lunch," said Meiling, facedown into the Comprehensive Guide to Mushrooms by Guy Fun. "I think she might be avoiding me."

"But your literature teacher is very strict. It could not be helped," Miss Daidouji laughed. "I have never seen you agonize over our opinions before. You must love your cousin very much."

Meiling lifted her head sharply, cheeks red. Miss Daidouji was smiling serenely as usual.

"It is nothing to be embarrassed about," she said simply.

"I'm not embarrassed!" Meiling stood up.

"You are not," Miss Daidouji agreed.

"I'll go over there and ask Miss Kinomoto what is wrong with being engaged to your cousin!" Meiling spotted girl in question who was reaching for a book on the top shelf.

"You will."

"Watch me!" Meiling marched towards Miss Kinomoto.

Halfway across, she mentally slapped her forehead. Miss Daidouji played her again.

She sighed and called out to Miss Kinomoto was standing on the ladder staring at the spine of the book in her hand.

"Hey, Miss Kinomoto," Meiling said tapping her on the shoulder. The girl clutched on the rungs of the ladder, dropping the book.

"Hoe, Meiling. You surprised me." Miss Kinomoto stepped down and took the book from Meiling.

"I was calling you for ages. But you were spacing about something." Meiling tried to catch Miss Kinomoto's gaze. "I'm guessing that you were thinking about what I said at lunch."

"Hoe?" Miss Kinomoto's eyes opened in surprise. Meiling had guessed correctly.

"Nope, you're just easy to read," said Meiling. She had an explanation ready for times such as this. "So is it strange? My parents were surprised. But it's not completely unheard of in the clan, cousins marrying each other to preserve the magic within the fa-"

"No. That's not exactly what I was thinking about," cut in Miss Kinomoto. "I was thinking how admirable it was that you have already decided something so important."

Meiling blinked. "But it's not as if we're married or anything."

"He must like you a great deal to ask you."

"Ah… I asked him." It was kind of an embarrassing memory, if Meiling had to be honest.

"Well, he said yes. That still counts for something," offered Miss Kinomoto, struggling to find the right words.

"Well he didn't say no…"

Syaoran's exact words were "do as you like," if Meiling remembered correctly.

"Well," said Miss Kinomoto earnestly. "He must be a wonderful person if a really amazing person like you likes him."

Meiling laughed. It was such a typical Miss Kinomoto response.

* * *

><p>Tomoyo was glad that the Sakura and Meiling were acting normally again. On the way back home in her personal butterfly-horse carriage, Sakura chatted animatedly about training session with Meiling in the Bartitsu Club. Meiling and her family would be arriving at the home of her grandfather just before dinner.<p>

"The captain said that the ring staff's activated form will be allowed in the weapons category. Thank you for making it. I love it!" said Sakura. She wore the cherry blossom coloured ring on the middle finger of her right hand.

"I am glad." Seeing the radiant smile on Sakura's face made the effort from last year's research all worth it. She had to thank Cousin Toya for the idea. He cared for his sister's wellbeing as much as she did.

The carriage pulled through the gates passing by the gardens where she and Sakura used to pretend they were fairies as children. The golden foliage floated down like raining sunshine.

They still had plenty of time to get ready, but Tomoyo wanted to get the dresses just fitted perfectly for the dinner.

The outfit she prepared for Sakura had a light green skirt and a deep emerald bodice, matching the colour of her eyes. The sleeve ended above the elbows, closed with a line of four buttons starting from the shoulder puffs, a subtle variation to the current fashion in Lecourt. A similar feature fastened the high neckline close. The fabric of bodice's hem was gathered on the sides to form a bustle.

"You look wonderful, Sakura!" said Tomoyo.

"It's the dress. You're so talented." Sakura admired the garment through her reflection. She twirled and tripped.

"I believe the hem is a little too long," Tomoyo apologized. "Come stand on the stool and I will correct it."

Sakura gathered the skirt in her hands and carefully stepped on the stool. "It's not your fault. I kept insisting that I'll hit a growth spurt."

"You are only fourteen years old. You still have plenty of time to grow," said Tomoyo as she pinned the hem in several places. "Could you kindly change back into your school uniform while I alter the skirt?"

"Sure thing," said Sakura.

She chatted on while she changed behind the changing screen. "Do you think that Meiling's cousin will be as energetic as she is?"

"It could be the case. Her parents are pretty energetic."

Sakura laughed.

Tomoyo put on her own plum coloured gown and inspected herself in the mirror. It was a one piece dress with the sleeves ending midway down her forearm. After short consideration, she shrunk the shoulder puffs by five percent and scalloped the turtle neckline with her magic.

Sakura came out with the garments in her arms.

"Wow!" she said. "You look absolutely amazing!"

Tomoyo picked up the skirt from her cousin and sat on her second favourite seat by her small table. Sakura sat on the seat beside her, handing Tomoyo her sewing kit.

"Are you weaving in your magic again?" questioned Sakura.

"Of course. The charms don't work as well if I sew them in using magic."

"You don't have to go that far," said Sakura taking a sip of the tea the maids set out for them.

"It is no trouble at all," Tomoyo said. Years of sewing made her very efficient. "My greatest joy is to see you wear the clothes that I've created."

"Thank you again." Sakura grabbed a scone from the basket and added strawberry jam and cream with a blunt knife. "You're always looking out for me, and I can't do anything in return."

"Your smile is more than enough" said Tomoyo. "Everything I do for you is because I love you, Sakura."

"I love you too," said Sakura, innocent as always. "By the way, why do you think Meiling's cousin is moving here?"

"The Li Clan are known for their strong spiritual connections. Maybe they suspect something might happen in Lecourt in the near future."

"Hoe?! Why does it have to be spirits?" Sakura's eyes darted around the room as if she would suddenly be able to spot one in the room.

Sakura could jump from great heights and not react when objects are conjured or float by using magic, however if someone mentioned "spirits" or even "ghosts" around her, she would turn pale and occasionally her eyes would brim with tears. It was all Cousin Toya's fault. He took his teasing too far at times.

"Contrary to what your older brother has told you when we were children, not all spirits and ghosts are evil," said Tomoyo. She held Sakura's hands in her own. "Remember your invincible spell."

Sakura closed her eyes and breathed in deeply. "Everything will definitely be all right!" She smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

_- I haven't written a story for many years, so reviews and constructive criticisms are welcome. =)_

_- Lecourt is a world that the main characters visited in Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles, another story by CLAMP._

_- Sakura's green dress was based on a blue dress that her mother was drawn in for one of the CCS artbooks (the third one, I think)._

_- Tomoyo's plum dress was based on the dress that Tomoyo wore in TRC in Piffle Country._


	2. Sakura and the Transfer Student: Part 2

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>Syaoran didn't go to Lecourt by choice; his mother, Yelan Li, ordered him to, no explanation given. His four elder sisters had the luxury of staying in Zhonguo since they were either studying in university or working. Hopefully when he returned to Zhonguo next year it would be as if nothing ever happened and he wouldn't be far behind the school curriculum.<p>

They had arrived in Lecourt late in the afternoon after a long aerotrain ride and a tedious series of farewell breakfast, lunch and dinners from his family and classmates.

Syaoran's mother informed him on the butterfly-horse carriage ride to this uncle's mansion in Lecourt that they would be having a welcome dinner with members of the Amamiya Clan that she went to university with and their families. Apparently he met them both when they travelled to Zhonguo on separate occasions.

He nodded and stared out the window. The buildings were different; many had columns, arched windows or flags on many little turrets. There were lots of people flying around on staffs, with wings or holding balloons. He didn't see any tram lines or rickshaws, and there weren't as many bicycles as there were in Heung Gong, the capital of Zhonguo. The fashions were strangely conservative here.

All Syaoran wanted to do was sleep, but there was unpacking to be done. But his new bed was really comfortable. A few minutes rest couldn't hurt…

"SYAORAN!"

A weight landed painfully on him. "What's wrong Syaoran? Aren't you happy to see your fiancé, Meiling?"

His cousin came into focus, her face too close to his.

"Meiling," said Syaoran. She leant in closer. "Get off."

She reluctantly stood by the bed. "I haven't seen you since the New Year and I was just excited to see you. And your door was open so went I in."

Meiling spoke quickly fiddling with the her school uniform.

"I just arrived from club practice. When did you arrive?"

"Not that long ago," Syaoran's voice trailed off. Through the window he saw the sun setting. He looked at his rumpled clothes.

"We have to leave soon for the dinner! Haven't you cleaned up yet? Where are your ceremonial robes?" Meiling started opening his suitcases.

"Hey," he said, pushing her away from his luggage and towards the door before she could start scattering everything. "I can do that. You need to get ready too."

"Do I look like I arrived straight from training?" She honestly did, but Syaoran wasn't about to say so.

Meiling hit his arm when he failed to answer and marched out of the room, nose in the air. Syaoran sighed, massaging the forming bruise, and took his robes and towel from his suitcase.

He washed and dressed himself in the bathroom adjoining his room, then waited with his mother and Meiling's parents at the entrance. His mother fixed the back collar of his ceremonial robes.

"Meiling, hurry up!" called Syaoran's uncle.

"I'm coming," she called. A couple minutes of his uncle's foot tapping and vapid anecdotes from Meiling's mother later, his cousin arrived. She bowed in apology then latched onto Syaoran's arm.

"Let's go. We can't keep the Amamiya Clan waiting," Meiling said, leading him out the door.

Meiling prattled on in the butterfly-horse carriage ride there. She spoke about she couldn't wait for him to meet her friends, Tomoyo Daidouji and Sakura Kinomoto, who were Amamiya, about how excited she was take him on dates around Lecourt and about how she wasn't looking forward to the snow.

Syaoran had never seen snow before. He lived in the Heung Gong all his life and pretty much exclusively travelled during the summer.

* * *

><p>They arrived at the Amamiya Mansion in the middle of some woods, which was as large as the Li Mansion back at Zhonguo.<p>

Once inside, they were greeted by a lady with cropped hair who he remembered was called Sonomi Daidouji, a successful business woman.

"Yelan, it has been a while. How was your trip?" she said.

"Syaoran and I found the journey quite enjoyable," said his mother in the Lecourt tongue. "Isn't that right?"

"Yes. Thank you for having us for dinner," he bowed, the foreign words sat strangely on his tongue. Meiling giggled.

"You have grown so much come in. We'll start dinner soon." She led the way through the richly decorated hallway, chatting to his mother, aunt and uncle.

They walked into the dining room where an elegant lady with long curly hair stood up to meet them. She was a model, if Syaoran remembered correctly.

"Nadeshiko," his mother greeted. "How have you been?"

"I have been wonderful. You remember my father Masaki Amamiya," said Nadeshiko, gesturing to the elderly man who stood up hands outstretched to shake their hands in turn.

"Uncle," he corrected.

"I consider myself lucky to be able to have had two sets of loving parents in my life, father," she said. She then introduced the tall man wearing spectacles, and two girls his age, one wearing green and the other wearing purple. "This is my husband, Fujitaka, daughter, Sakura, and Sonomi's daughter, Tomoyo. My son, Toya will join us later."

There was a mixture of bowing and hand shaking before they sat down. Syaoran was seated next to Meiling, and across from them were the girl in green and the girl in purple respectively. The first course arrived.

"Nice to meet you," said the Amamiya girl dressed in green in the Zhonguo tongue. "I am Sakura Kinomoto."

"You've been practising your accent, Miss Kinomoto," said Meiling, food halfway to her mouth.

"Tomoyo has been helping me," said Kinomoto, switching back to her native language. "The teacher is being stricter this year with pronunciation."

"You did not need much correction," said the Amamiya girl in purple. She then spoke without an accent his language. "Welcome to Lecourt. My name is Tomoyo Daidouji."

Meiling elbowed him.

"My name is Syaoran Li," he said, moving food around plate.

The Amamiya girls looked at him then at Meiling, who was looking at him, then at each other before facing him again.

"So, Mr Li did you arrive today?" asked Kinomoto.

"Yes."

"You must be very tired. Doesn't the train ride from Zhonguo to here take almost a day?"

"I'm fine," he said even though he was still tired.

Meiling elbowed him again.

"What, Meiling?" he said, loudly.

His caught his mother's cool glare. He mumbled an apology to the parents and ate another bite.

Kinomoto stifled a giggle. "By the way Meiling, I've chosen to do dreams as my research topic" she asked.

"Every year, the school requires us to do write a report about a magical topic that interests us," explained Daidouji. "It can be research or practical based."

"Are you a dream seer?" Syaoran asked Kinomoto impressed. He heard that members of the Amamiya were able to see the future in dreams.

"No. My mother and brother are though," she said. "And Tomoyo might be. She was telling me that a dream of hers came true recently."

"Really?" asked Meiling.

"It might have been one," said Daidouji, tilting her head to her right. "Last night I had a dream about eating a steamed bun, and today the chef packed me one."

"Really?" said Meiling.

The plates were cleared and the next course was served. The three girls chatted around him through the next couple of courses. He listened, but he was still exhausted from the travels.

After desert, which was a truly delicious cocoa cake, the adults started directing the conversation towards them.

"Miss Tomoyo," said Meiling's mother, "how are you choir activities?"

"They are going very well," replied Tomoyo Daidouji. "We have a recital that we are preparing for in a couple of weeks."

"My granddaughter is the lead soloist of the school choir," boasted Masaki Amamiya to Syaoran's mother.

"I'll admit that she's nearly as good as me," said Meiling, tossing her long hair over her shoulder.

"You are always welcome to join us," said Daidouji.

"But the Bartitsu club needs me," she said. Meiling turned to Syaoran excitedly. "You should join, Syaoran!"

"You should," said Kinomoto. "It's very fun."

"Are you in the Bartitsu club as well?" asked Syaoran's mother.

Kinomoto nodded. "My brother used to teach me the basics when I was younger, and I joined the club with Meiling when we entered the academy."

"You must be very good."

"I'm not really," the girl protested.

"No need to be modest, Sakura," said Sonomi Daidouji. "I know! Why don't we have a little exhibition match in the ballroom between Sakura and Syaoran? Yelan tells me that you're very good."

Syaoran looked at the girl opposite him. Her bright green eyes were wide open.

"But," she began.

"Can I join too?" asked Meiling, standing up.

"I think that Sakura and Meiling against Syaoran would be fair," said his mother.

Syaoran didn't think it was fair his mother was speaking on his behalf. But somehow, the whole party move to the ballroom.

When he walked through the tall carved doors Syaoran thought that he stepped out into the garden with the night sky overhead. But a magic circle featuring a ten point star was decorated into floor, giving everyone a soft glow despite no overhead lighting. If he focused he could make out the outlines of the curved wall and ceiling.

"I'm ready," Kinomoto had gone to change into her practice uniform. It was a white robe and blue hakama, similar to what Kurogane and Doumeki would wear when they were training in Zhonguo.

She handed her folded green dress to Tomoyo Daidouji who was standing to the side with the adults then jogged over to join where he and Meiling were warming up.

"Are you ready?" Sonomi Daidouji's voice called.

Syaoran nodded and the girls replied loudly. They went into their sparring stances. Syaoran noted that Kinomoto used a different one to his and Meiling's.

"So it's Syaoran against Meiling in an unarmed exhibition match, so don't beat him up too much, Sakura."

The girl's stance faltered for a moment.

"Ready? Go!"

As expected, Meiling charged straight in with a series of punches and kicks. He blocked and dodged his cousin's attacks and narrowly avoided being kicked in the head by Kinomoto.

Meiling was Syaoran's training partner while they were kids. Some of her combinations were different but she still favoured straightforward attacks over feints and spins.

He was surprised by Kinomoto. Her first clean kick to his stomach winded him. He shouldn't have underestimated her and her short stature. Her speed and acrobatic skills closely matched his.

After the second head kick, Meiling started to get rattled. Syaoran could predict her next move and she kept running into his attacks. A well timed push sent her to the ground.

"Meiling is out!" called Sonomi Daidouji, to his cousin's protests.

Syaoran focused his attention on his opponent, Sakura Kinomoto. She was in her sparring stance sweat beading on her fore head and breathing heavily. But so was he. He'd had to finish it soon.

He attacked. His kicks and punches were blocked or missed. He kept on the offense, not giving her a chance to attack, despite his screaming lungs and searing muscles. Only a little bit more. He saw the panic in her green eyes.

Syaoran was pushed from behind.

"Hey kid! What are you doing to my sister?!" A tall male in his early twenties stood in front of Kinomoto facing him in a fighting stance.

"Brother!" she yelled.

"So you think that just because she doesn't have any magical powers you can pick on her?" the girl's brother accused.

Syaoran was about to yell back. He doesn't pick on anyone.

"He doesn't know. Stop it!" She pulled on his arm.

"Toya, they were merely having an exhibition match," said Nadeshiko Kinomoto. She handed Syaoran and her daughter a glass of water each. "I apologize. Toya is a little protective over his sister."

"Your daughter is very skilled," said Syaoran's mother, her hand on his shoulder.

"Your son is too. Toya, this is Yelan and Syaoran Li. They have only moved here from Zhonguo. Sonomi, Yelan and Yelan's sister in law met in university." Syaoran bowed briefly at his name.

Toya Kinomoto relaxed his stance, but glared daggers at Syaoran. Syaoran glared back.

A clock began to chime.

"I think that it is about time for us to go."

"I'm sorry for my son's rude behaviour," said Nadeshiko Kinomoto.

"No need to apologize at all. We are simply tired from our travels and have much left to unpack."

"Then I apologize for keeping you out this late."

He saw his mother's expression soften. "No apology is required. It was a pleasure to spend time with you."

The horses were called and they said their thanks and farewells. Syaoran waited in the carriage with his cousin.

Syaoran was shocked when he saw his mother give Kinomoto a kiss on the cheek.

The girl spotted him and Meiling. She nudged her cousin and they both waved.

Syaoran remembered something.

"Hey Meiling," he said. "She doesn't have powers, does she?"

His cousin was waving at her friends. "Miss Kinomoto? No, not at all," she said. "But does it really matter? She's still happy."

Syaoran was surprised by Meiling's answer. Being born into the Li Clan, they were under a lot of pressure to excel in their magical powers. Most people in the world had some level of magical power, but Sakura Kinomoto was born powerless into one of the great magical clans.

* * *

><p><strong>Author Notes:<strong>

_**- **Thank you to the people who read the first chapter and an extra thank you to the people who reviewed. Once again, if you have any questions, comments or suggestions for improvement, review or let me know =)_

_**- **CLAMP based Lecourt in their series Tsubasa Reservoir Chronicles on 19th Century/Victorian England . Although I didn't really want to use those terms because there wasn't that much information on its history and those terms don't exist in the story's world. I hope I didn't confuse anyone with this._

_**- "**Zhonguo" is an altered spelling of "Zhong Guo", the Mandarin for "China", and "Heung Gong" is Cantonese for "Hong Kong". I got this from Wikipedia and a travel guide, so don't quote me on it._

_- "Bartitsu" is an actual martial art developed in the late 19th century by Edward William Barton-Write who spent three years in Japan and subsequently combined elements of Japanese and Western martial arts into one style. According to Wikipedia, it was one of the first martial arts school in Europe to offer self defense classes to females. =) Sir Arthur Conan Doyle mentioned the martial art in his Sherlock Holmes novels as "Baritsu". But yeah, I kinda did take some artistic liberties._


	3. Sakura and the Lucky Charm

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>Tomoyo and Sakura were chatting to their friends in the classroom waiting for their magical theory lesson to start. The topic was about a lucky charm that Presea Pharle recently bought from Twin Bells, a cute store in the heart of town.<p>

"Yeah, they work really well," said Presea, pointing to the golden orb dangling on a delicate chain on her forehead. "Last week we that had quiz for history and I normally fail that subject. But when we got our results back, it was full marks. I swear that the only reason I got that mark was because I was wearing this charm."

"They have all sorts of charms. Y'all have to be quick though, they don't have that many," said Caldina Chizeta, best friend of Presea.

Sakura turned to Tomoyo. "Do you want to check it out? Training was postponed until tomorrow."

"We do not have any club activities for today either, so I cannot see why not," said Tomoyo.

"Miss Daidouji, Miss Kinomoto! There you are!" Meiling came into the classroom clinging onto Mr Li's arm. He had his hands in his pockets. "We collected Syaoran's timetable and it seems they put us in separate classes by mistake."

"So does this mean that he's in ours?" asked Caldina, smiling at Mr Li.

The bell rang and Meiling scowled. "Miss Daidouji, let me know if he cheats on me with anyone." She ran off.

"Would you like to sit here with us?" Tomoyo gestured to an empty seat beside Sakura.

"I'll sit at the front, thanks," Mr Li said, curtly. He sat at the remaining desk next to Fye Flowright, a distant relative of hers.

"He's quite good looking," said Caldina.

"A little rude, though," said Presea.

Fye was introducing himself to Mr Li and shaking his hand.

Sakura spoke up. "He could still be tired from unpacking. He was like that after he just arrived."

"You met him before?" their friends asked.

"Oh my," said Tomoyo. Fye had his scheming face on.

Presea spotted him too. "That Fye, he's plotting something. He deserves to be boiled in water, or have a smelly sock stuffed in his mouth, or even tied up in front of a train track…"

"Presea," said Sakura, warily.

The teacher walked in and Mr Li stood up and bowed, alone. "All hail the Master Clef."

Laughter erupted around the class, and a sharp yelp came from Fye. Presea had impressive aim.

Fye honestly had to stop pulling pranks.

Mr Li glared at the blond boy beside.

Sakura stood up bravely. "Um, teacher, this is Syaoran Li. He transferred to our school today."

"Ah, I see. Syaoran Li, why don't you introduce yourself?" said Guru Clef.

Mr Li glared at Sakura, who slowly sat down.

"My name is Syaoran of the Li clan." he said. "Please to meet you." He sat down and said nothing more for the rest of the lesson.

* * *

><p>Students had started to pack up for second period before it ended. Syaoran wasn't used to this moving classroom system, but he was relieved to change classes after this morning's embarrassing start.<p>

He sighed. He'll have to remember that Fye Flowright liked to play pranks. The blond boy smiled serenely. Where had he heard the name "Flowright" before?

The bell rang and suddenly a crowd of girls were surrounding Syaoran. He could hardly understand what they were saying, let alone answer the series of questions they were throwing at him.

"Hey what are you doing to my Syaoran?!" He was never more relieved to see Meiling in his life.

"He's your cousin right?" asked one girl.

"Why don't you put in a good word about me?" asked another.

"He can't, he's taken," said Meiling, smugly. Syaoran had a bad feeling about where this conversation was going.

"But, he just came," said a third.

"Unless he has a girlfriend is back in Zhonguo!" whined a fourth.

Before he could say anything, Meiling shouted, "Back off! He's my fiancé!"

Syaoran had enough. He started to push through the startled crowd.

"Hey, Syaoran, where are you going?"

"Class."

He walked past the corridors following the directions on his map to his mathematics classroom specified on the timetable, ignoring everyone else.

Trust Meiling to do something like that. At least she wasn't in his maths class; that was one positive thing of being unable to enrol into the ranked mathematics  
>class.<p>

Mathematics was Syaoran's best subject; he topped the grade back in Zhonguo.

The Lecourt Private Academy's school administration wouldn't let him into any of the already full ranked classes because they had already settled the timetables, but said that it was possible to change if he did well and another student wanted to swap with him after the end of semester exams.

He sat down at the end of the first row and stared out the window. The school grounds were vast. He only had to stay less than half a year in this class.

"Good morning, Mr Li. May I sit here?" It was that powerless Amamiya girl, Kinomoto. She was in his magical theory class earlier. She stood up after he was tricked.

"You don't have to sit next to me because Meiling said so," he said.

"But I normally sit at the front," she said.

"Do as you like."

She sat down in the seat beside him and started taking out her workbooks. A familiar blond teen sat down on the other side of Kinomoto.

"Fye," said Syaoran, glaring at the newcomer. His fortune today was indeed unlucky.

"I am not Fye; I am Yuui Flowright, Fye Flowright's twin," said the blond teenager extending his hand. Syaoran had never met a twin before. His manner was completely different from his brother's. "It is nice to meet you. My brother will be joining us shortly."

Hopefully with his brother here, Fye Flowright wouldn't play any tricks.

"Yuui, this is Syaoran Li who transferred today from Zhonguo," Kinomoto said. "I am Sakura Kinomoto. I didn't know that Fye had a twin. Did you just transfer today as well?"

Yuui Flowright was hit on the head by a female student wearing a pendant on her forehead. "That's because he doesn't have a twin, right Fye? Surely you knew that he was an only child, Sakura!"

"Hoe?" said Kinomoto.

Fye Flowright laughed.

"Hi, I'm Presea Pharle, never listen to what that one says" said the newcomer. "I was in your magical theory class and I guess we're in the same mathematics class."

"Don't worry though," said Kinomoto. "Ms Mizuki is really nice and is very helpful."

Syaoran had to agree that Ms Mizuki, explained the material well, and he was grateful that she didn't pause more than a moment to nod in acknowledgement when it came to his name on the roll.

The mathematics terminology took a few moments to get used to, but besides that he was surprised to find that the content wasn't as far behind his coursework Zhonguo as he thought it would be. He finished the set exercises shortly after the teacher finished going over the content.

Kinomoto kept asking the teacher how to solve the problems. So far it seemed that she was only good at martial arts.

"Why don't you ask Mr Li how to solve the questions?" the teacher suggested, on the other side of the room. "He seems to have completed his work and there are other students that need my help too." She turned to Syaoran. "You don't mind, right?"

It's not that he minded…

"Wow. Are you doing the extension questions? That's amazing," said Kinomoto.

He shrugged. "I like mathematics."

"Why?"

"Because it's the same in every country," he said.

Her smile reached her green eyes. "I never thought of it that way before."

"Hey," said Syaoran before she could talk some more.

"What?"

"Didn't you have a problem with the mathematics questions?"

It turned out that she had many problems.

* * *

><p>As soon as the bell rang signalling for the end of their practical magic double period lesson, Meiling grabbed her fiancé's arm. "Syaoran, let's go outside for lunch."<p>

She wanted to spend as much time as she could with him. They were only in each other's elective practical magic, elective commerce, literature, magical research and physical education classes, after all. He stubbornly chose archaic enchantments as his third elective instead of music. But he will definitely join the Bartitsu Club to make up for it.

"Meiling, can you let go?"

"I can, but I don't want to," she teased. He stopped resisting and she led him to an empty table on the rooftop garden. "How are you enjoying your classes?"

"They're all right," he said unpacking his food. Meiling opened hers.

"After lunch we have the magical research period. Have you decided what to do your topic on yet?" asked Meiling.

"No idea."

"Are you going to join the Bartitsu Club?"

"Maybe."

Meiling was getting frustrated. He never spoke that much before she moved here, but honestly she hoped that he would be a little more communicative after not seeing each other for so long.

"Wow, your food looks very delicious." It was Miss Kinomoto and Miss Daidouji, sitting down on the seats opposite them. They had come from their elective Zhonguo language class together.

"Syaoran made them," said Meiling. "Say "ah"."

"Hey! I can feed my-," she successfully fed him a prawn dumpling.

"We were looking for you, Meiling" said Miss Daidouji, taking out her lacquered lunch container. "We heard from Caldina and Presea that Twin Bells was selling good luck charms and we were wondering if you would like to visit the store together after school. Sakura informed me that you do not have club activities today as well."

Miss Kinomoto spoke eagerly. "Apparently they have all sorts of charms; money, school, love-," she put her hands up defensively. "Not that you need it!"

A love charm.

"Why not?" said Meiling, smiling at her fiancé. "It would be an ideal opportunity to show Syaoran around the town too, right Syaoran?"

* * *

><p>At Twin Bells, Sakura was disappointed to find that the last charm had been sold. Maki, the shop owner promised to give her a call when she received the next shipment.<p>

To cheer themselves up, Sakura went with Tomoyo, Meiling and Mr Li to the Triol bakery.

Surprisingly, her brother was working there. Although he did unjustly glare at Mr Li, who admirably didn't back down, Sakura's brother snuck in a couple extra strawberry cupcakes.

They took their bounty to the park to neat. They sat on a bench near the King Penguin play equipment.

"Jeez, Ms Kinomoto," said Meiling in between bites. "Your brother works everywhere."

"It's so embarrassing at times," said Sakura. "Do you remember that time when he showed up at the strawberry picking excursion in primary school, Tomoyo?"

She nodded nodded. "I have always wondered about that. Cousin Toya was in his final year of high school then."

"He had so many part time jobs in high school," added Sakura. "I don't know how he found time to study or do his homework."

"How did he do in school?" asked Mr Li, speaking up for the first time since school ended for the day.

"He was in the top ten of his grade for each of his subjects," said Sakura, grabbing another cupcake.

After they finished eating their cupcakes, Sakura collected their rubbish to put in the bin. On the way over to the bins she stopped to pick up a shiny object on the ground. A shadow passed over her and she heard a loud crash.

"Sakura, are you ok?!" called Tomoyo. Meiling and Mr Li were also standing up. The boy had a sword in hand.

"What was that?" asked Sakura.

"Behind you!" pointed Meiling.

There was a young primary school aged girl standing there with short red hair and blood dripping down her fingers. She stood up and fixed her blank stare on Sakura.

The child started running towards her.

"Move!" yelled Mr Li.

Sakura clicked her heels and jumped onto the top of the penguin's head.

Meiling and her cousin ran towards the girl and Tomoyo kept launching bursts of light that kept missing its moving target.

The red haired child focused her gaze on Tomoyo and charged. The Li cousins were too far behind.

Sakura jumped towards Tomoyo tapping her ring to the seal on her heel. It expanded into a long staff and Sakura used it to push the girl away. "Go away!"

The girl stumbled backwards reflexively holding her stomach. She stared at Sakura with unblinking eyes.

"She's only a young girl," said Sakura, relaxing her grip.

Mr Li jumped in front of her and Tomoyo with his sword out and began chanting an incantation.

Sakura pulled on his arm. "Don't hurt her! She's merely a child!"

"Guys look out!" yelled Meiling.

Sakura dodged with Tomoyo in the opposite direction to Mr Li.

She felt static in the air radiating from Mr Li.

"I said don't hurt her!" Sakura shouted. Tears were running down the child's eyes.

The forming lightning disappeared. "But she's hurting herself by attacking us!" he protested. "She's possessed! See that in her hand? She's not some brat cranky from a lack of sleep!"

Sakura spotted the small blood red orb dangling from a chain.

"That's it!" said Sakura. "We can trap her in wind and then Tomoyo can put her to sleep."

Mr Li began chanting but Meiling stopped him. "Stand and watch, Syaoran! I've become much more powerful since I've last seen you!" she said.

A small whirlwind formed in Meiling's hands. Her long hair and clothes flapped in the wind. The funnel expanded freezing the possessed girl mid-air.

Tomoyo began to sing. The child closed her eyes and grew limp. Meiling caught her and pried the pendant from her hand, careful to only touch it with a silk seal.

They all ran towards the young girl.

"That pendant is similar to Presea's lucky charm," said Tomoyo, looking up from tending to the girl's injuries.

"Do you think that they were possessed too?" asked Sakura. "What if there are more?!" She began to move.

"And what are you going to do about it?" Mr Li asked.

Sakura stopped. What could she do?

"The child is stable, but we need to take her to see some healers," said Tomoyo.

Mr Li reached for the package but Meiling spoke rapidly in hushed tones to him in the Zhonguo tongue. He nodded.

"Miss Kinomoto, quickly take this to your father," Meiling handed the sealed package to Sakura. "He has more access to information about magical items than our family."

"We will be fine," said Tomoyo. "Be careful."

Sakura nodded, grabbed her bag and jumped the most direct route home.

* * *

><p>Sakura was immediately approached by Meiling and the others when she arrived at school the next day.<p>

"What did your father say about the item?" she asked, Mr Li standing close behind.

"It burst into flame as soon as the seal was removed," Sakura replied, sitting down. "Father is worried but he wouldn't tell me why."

Tomoyo said, "There was an order released for all the charms to be collected."

"Well that's a bit late," said Presea, her arm in a sling. "I was lucky that Caldina was there. She managed to hypnotize me before I hurt myself too badly."

"The healers aren't paid enough to deal with this many casualties in such a short time. It would've been bad enough if it only the possessed, but there were also some innocent bystanders. They'll be swamped for a while," Caldina said.

"I heard that the sibling of a girl in the grade below us was killed," said Meiling in muted tones.

"Hey," said Mr Li, breaking the silence. "There's nothing that can be done now. But you helped save some lives yesterday."

Sakura felt a little lighter. Mr Li didn't always talk much, but when he did, his words carried much strength and power. "Thank you," she said.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

_- Season's greetings everyone =) I hope that you're having a wonderful time and it's filled with much laughter and joy!_

_- Thank you to all who submitted a review, is following the story and read it. I really appreciate it!_

_- There are some characters from other CLAMP works that pop up in this story. I've done that out a mixture of laziness (ironically, even though I don't have to create new characters, I had to figure out how the characters act in their original stories which ended up being quite a bit of work too) and also to try and recreate how CLAMP likes to re use their characters from other stories. They have such a rich collection of characters in their multiverse, it felt like such a waste not to use them._

_This is why I put this story in the non-crossover section; the story focuses on the main characters from CCS._


	4. Sakura and the Football Game

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>That morning Tomoyo read a newspaper article on "The Unlucky Charm Incidents" that occurred two days previously.<p>

The world was on high alert after similar incidents appeared in other capital cities. No one seemed to definitively know why these events occurred and everyone was looking for someone to blame.

Flower tributes bloomed in make shift shrines.

Tomoyo sighed.

At least Maki and the other shop keepers were cleared from involvement with the incident.

Furthermore, the law enforcers acted swiftly and effectively. They were credited for the fortunately low number of casualties and fatalities considering the widespread nature of the incidents.

The healers were still busy however they were now completely treating the non-life threatening injuries. Presea's arm was healed yesterday afternoon.

Hopefully after school Sakura and Tomoyo could go visit Rita at the hospital, the young girl they saved. She woke up yesterday, not recalling anything that happened shortly after entering the park.

She and Sakura would most likely have to be escorted everywhere for the foreseeable future with a full team of female bodyguards.

Tomoyo took a sip of her tea.

It was a minuscule inconvenience for the price of Sakura's safety.

* * *

><p>Syaoran was looking forward to afternoon physical education class. It was the one subject where the students were separated by gender. He wouldn't have to deal with Meiling jumping onto him at any moment or the other female students asking him needless questions.<p>

He didn't mind helping those who genuinely needed it, like Kinomoto in mathematics, but a lot of the other girls were clearly just trying to attract his attention.

Syaoran resolved to focus on his studies and not talk to anyone. Hopefully they would go away.

He changed into his sports uniform, and followed his classmates to the football field.

"Syaoran!" Meiling jumped on his back, arms around his neck.

"Hey! How many times do I have to tell you not to grab me like that?!" he said, shaking her off. He pointed to the gymnasium. "The girls' physical education class is over there!"

"Are you worried that I'd get hurt?" she pouted. "Aww, you're so shy!"

Syaoran dodged another flying hug.

"Actually," said Fye Flowright, watching them with a strange expression. "Meiling and Sakura take the physical education class with us because they're too intense for the girls' class."

Syaoran wasn't going to fall for one of Fye Flowright's tricks again.

He turned and saw Kinomoto wearing the same ridiculous puffy sports uniform that the female students wear. She was dwarfed by the lanky blonde student standing next to her.

"I wouldn't say intense," she said, sheepishly looking at Meiling.

A whistle blew, called the teacher. "All right class. Flowright and Lafarga you're the captains. Flip a coin to decide who goes picks first."

Fye Flowright and a tall built student came to the front. Lafarga didn't look like he was fourteen or fifteen.

Fye Flowright won the coin toss.

"Sakura!" he said. The girl hi-fived him then stood behind.

"Meiling Li," said Lafarga.

Syaoran saw Meiling pause to say something quickly to the built student. They both glanced at him, and the captain nodded.

"Ascot!" said Fye. A kid with bangs covering his eyes joined his team.

"Syaoran Li," said Lafarga.

Syaoran sighed. Of course he was on the same team as Meiling.

* * *

><p>Meiling failed to hug Syaoran again. That boy was infuriating. If she didn't love him she would hate him.<p>

"Actually," said Mr Flowright, judging them. "Meiling and Sakura take the P.E. class with us because they're too intense for the girls' class."

"I wouldn't say intense," said Miss Kinomoto.

Meiling flushed at the memory. They were in the same class when they first started studying at the academy, and Meiling would go around challenging everyone to prove she was the best. She wasn't that fluent in Lecourt's language at that point so she focused her efforts on mathematics and physical education.

She quickly noticed that Miss Kinomoto was good and turned her into a rival and even followed her into the Bartitsu Club for more opportunities to compete with her. Despite Miss Kinomoto's reluctance to consider Meiling as her rival, their impromptu sport competitions became so intense that eventually the teachers put them both into the male physical education classes for the safety of the other students.

They were friends now, and only occasionally rivals. The same goes for Miss Daidouji with mathematics.

"Meiling Li."

Meiling briskly walked to stand behind Mr Lafarga, telling him in passing to pick Syaoran for the team.

Once everyone was chosen, her team formed a huddle to discuss tactics, but how could they lose? The Unbeatable Li's were back. In Zhonguo, the two of them would always top the rankings and competition.

Football wasn't one of Meiling's favourite sports, but when the whistle blew and the other team made the first pass, she charged in.

She would make the first goal. It was easier to stay ahead than it was to chase after the victor.

The ball weaved and was passed several times. Meiling saw an opportunity to steal the ball away from Mr Flowright and slid on the ground aiming at the ball, causing them both the trip.

The teacher acting as referee blew the whistle.

"What? A yellow card?!" complained Meiling. "I didn't even touch him!"

The referee was unrelenting.

"Li," said her team's captain. "Stand down and follow orders."

Meiling looked to Syaoran for support. He was unimpressed, she could tell.

She gritted her teeth and forced herself to follow the plan. Meiling's time to shine would come.

* * *

><p>The score was tied and time was running out.<p>

Lafarga told Syaoran to defend the keeper and the goal. He was to intercept the ball and pass the ball to the captain or to Meiling who would then score to win the game.

Syaoran hadn't played sport with mixed teams since primary school. Kinomoto and Meiling handled themselves pretty well. He should have expected it; he still had bruises from their exhibition match.

The girls weaved the balls past their opponents skilfully, not minding if they got bumped or bruised. In order to keep the ball out of Kinomoto's reach, Syaoran actually had to sprint as fast as he could.

The others showed no signs of weakening just because there were girls playing. Most likely they were playing their best especially since girls were playing. One of the classmates got a yellow card because he got caught using earth magic steal the ball from Meiling.

Kinomoto was about ten paces ahead and to the right of Syaoran. Her breathing was laboured but he could still see a smile on her face.

She started running down towards the goal, looking at the sky.

Syaoran looked up. The ball was coming directly at him. If he stayed right there he would be able to rebound the ball on his chest before passing it to Lafarga who was open.

From the corner of his eye he saw Kinomoto jump and launch herself in the path of the ball, hitting it with her head. She landed onto the ground hands first, using the momentum to roll to her feet.

Syaoran heard the whistle blow. Kinomoto's header delivered the ball safely into the net, winning the game.

He extended his hand to steady Kinomoto. She stayed standing without his assistance.

"That was a good goal," he said.

"Thank you! You're run really fast!" she said, dusting herself off.

"Are you alright?" called Daidouji from the sidelines with the other female students. He didn't notice their shrill cheering during the game.

"I'm okay," Kinomoto replied.

The two teams lined up in the centre of the field to shake each other's hands.

"Aww man!" complained Meiling while walking back to the gymnasium where the change rooms were. "We lost!"

"But nothing less expected from Kinomoto," said Lafarga.

The girl was chatting to her cousin in the distance, but she turned as if she had heard them. She waved and called out, "Meiling, are you coming!?"

"See you later," Meiling said to Syaoran before running to join her friends.

"Hey, Li," said Lafarga. "What do you say about joining the football team?"

Syaoran looked at the larger student.

"I'm the captain of the football team," he said. "We could use a player like you on our team."

"I'll think about it."

Syaoran enjoyed the game more than he expected, and they were required to join a club in Lecourt Private Academy. He just had to ask his mother for permission first.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

_- Season's greetings and a Happy New Year! Thank you to the reviewers, followers of the story and readers. =) This chapter is a little shorter, a little lighter and less intense than the upcoming couple of chapters planned. I hope you enjoy it nevertheless. Reviews, commentary and constructive criticism are warmly welcomed._

_- I had mentioned in my first drafts written months ago that there was an air suspicion in the community that resulted from the lucky charm incidents, but I think that I was strongly influenced during the fleshing out and editing process by the after effects where there are losses of life, particularly the Sydney Siege since there were only two degrees of separation between me and some of the hostages. May the suffering around the world, their families and communities find peace and the strength to carry on._

_- The female sports uniforms are based on 19th Century bicycle pants. Google them. They are ridiculous and puffy._

_- That header goal was inspired by Robin van Persie's superb diving header in the Netherland vs Spain World Cup match in 2014_


	5. Sakura's Never-Ending Exams

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>It was the morning of their history test and the start of their mid school year exam period. Tomoyo was worried. Sakura was yet to arrive and the teachers were already starting to let the shivering students into the exam hall. Tomoyo had hoped that she would have arrived at school on time like the whole of last week despite no longer being escorted to school for a couple weeks now.<p>

Tomoyo scanned the skies, wrapping the cape of her uniform around her. A bouncing speck bounding towards them that could only be Sakura was making her way towards them. She exhaled in relief.

"I made it! Thank goodness!" Sakura said, slumping onto the ground.

Meiling handed Sakura a drink bottle. "Here, it will give you energy," she said.

"Thank you." Sakura drank a few sips gratefully before handing it back. "It tasted like cocoa."

Guru Clef called for them to come inside to start the test.

"Coming!" they replied.

* * *

><p>Classes were still running despite the exams. Most teachers were considerate enough to let the students work on their own.<p>

They were in the library as usual for their magical research period and Tomoyo, unconcerned about tomorrow's literature exam, was researching ways on how to make fire-holding fabric. There have been plenty of research on fireproof clothes, but imagine the possibility of gloves made from this material. Sakura could appear to hold the sun in her hands! How wonderful!

"Hey Tomoyo," said Sakura from across the desk. "Would you like to study together tonight for the exam tomorrow?"

"I apologize," said Tomoyo, sadly. She would love to study with Sakura. "Tonight my mother is returning from the business trip and we promised to have dinner together."

"That's all right," she said, sweetly. She then wrinkled her adorable nose.

Tomoyo smelt the scent of something burning.

A girl screamed, there was a large bang and the fire alarm rang.

"Sakura come back!"

Tomoyo followed Sakura to where smoke was coming from one of the practical rooms down the hallway. Inside was Meiling, being drenched with a downpour of water that was washing away a layer of soot. The remains of a cauldron and its contents scattered in the room.

"I see what my fortune meant about staying away from fire," said Mr Li under his breath, appearing next to them.

The teachers came and ushered them away from Meiling and the scene. She was no longer rained on and the ringing was silenced.

"Hey, Mr Li," said Sakura, her voice somewhat muffled from an after effect of the alarms. "Would you like to stay back and study for tomorrow's literature exam?"

"Me?" he said, surprised. "I don't mind."

"Yay! I'll go wait for Meiling and invite her too."

Tomoyo watched Mr Li with mild interest as he watched Sakura walk over and wait by the practical rooms. She chuckled to herself.

* * *

><p>Meiling was walking home through the park with her fiancé and Miss Kinomoto. During the exam period students were pardoned from club activities and the school extended the library hours to give the students a place to study. They left about an hour to midnight. Meiling's head hurt from memorizing her essays.<p>

And it just had to start snowing.

Miss Kinomoto stopped to try and catch a snowflake on her tongue. "It's cold!" said.

"Of course," said Meiling, shivering. "It is winter."

Her friend laughed.

"I'm surprised that you don't feel as cold," she said to Syaoran. "During Meiling's first winter we could hardly get her to move away from the fireplace."

He shrugged, nonchalantly.

They reached the fork in the path. The branch on the left went past the giant cherry blossom tree and to the exit near Miss Kinomoto's home, while the path that Meiling and Syaoran would take circled the lake.

Miss Kinomoto cheerfully said goodbye, and slipped on the ice.

Embarrassed she got up, waved, and continued down her path.

"Do you think that we should walk her home?" asked Syaoran, mist appearing as he spoke.

"Kinomoto?" said Meiling. "How many times do I need to tell you that she's capable of defending herself?" She hugged his arm and started walking home. "Come on! It's cold and we have an exam tomorrow!"

* * *

><p>Syaoran frowned at his fortune. It said to stay away from fire today as well. There must be some ongoing issue that hopefully would be resolved soon and not manifest like Meiling's fire yesterday.<p>

Meiling was eating breakfast while reading her essays. She barely registered him as he sat down, and even on their way to school. Normally she would try to get his attention even if he read as he walked.

She actually snapped at him when he stopped her from walking right in front of a butterfly horse carriage.

She even snapped at Daidouji when she asked them if they had seen Kinomoto.

"No, is she late again?" said Meiling, angrily.

"It appears so," said Daidouji, unfazed by her friend's tone. "She even said that she would fix her alarm chronometer. Oh, there she is!"

A small figure came bouncing towards them.

"I made it! Thank goodness!" Kinomoto sat on the ground, catching her breath.

"Haven't you learnt your lesson yet?" said Meiling handing the girl her drink bottle. "Wasn't being late yesterday enough?"

"Hoe? Yesterday I was at home studying," Kinomoto said, taking a sip then handing it back to Meiling. "It tastes like cocoa."

"Hurry up," called Ms Mizuki. "The literature exam will be starting soon!"

"What?!" Kinomoto clutched Daidouji's arm. "Isn't our literature exam tomorrow?"

"No, it's today."

"Really? What do I do? I didn't study for this subject at all!"

Syaoran wondered what Kinomoto was studying for instead when they were in the library yesterday evening.

He heard Daidouji reassure her cousin as they entered the exam hall.

Syaoran focused and tried to remember quotes for the exam. The exam was starting soon and he couldn't worry about Kinomoto or anything else.

* * *

><p>Syaoran came out from that exam feeling a little worried. To what extent did his response to the opening scenes of the play inform his judgement of the text as a whole?<p>

It didn't help that in the middle of the test, Meiling managed to set her desk on fire. It was quickly extinguished, but it still caused a bit of a disturbance.

"Thank goodness that's over!" said Meiling during recess after the exam. "Now I can focus on mathematics. I have a couple of questions I want to ask the teacher about in class after lunch."

"Eh? But don't we have magic research after lunch? I'm sure of it!" said Kinomoto.

"No that was yesterday, don't you remember? I accidentally set my experiment on fire," said Meiling, concerned. "You must extremely be stressed if you forgot that."

"But we always have magic research after lunch on the first day of the week. Right, Tomoyo?" said Kinomoto turning to Daidouji.

Syaoran saw that Daidouji was also confused.

"Meiling is correct, we have mathematics after lunch," said the girl, slowly. "Perhaps you should go home. You seemed to have completely forgotten about a whole day."

Something clicked in Syaoran's thoughts.

"Unless," he said, the thoughts turning quickly, "time rewound back a day."

"Hoe?"

"Think about it," he explained. "She was late again, and even said the same thing as yesterday but she doesn't remember it. And Meiling, you blew up something today and yesterday."

"And my mother wasn't home this morning," said Daidouji. "I thought that she somehow left for work early even though we had a late dinner."

"Then why aren't we doing the same test as yesterday?" asked Meiling.

"Only those with magical powers will remember what happened the day before it was rewound, and that's most people, but-" he trailed off glancing at Kinomoto.

"I don't have any," she said.

"Hey, Syaoran, where are you going?" asked Meiling.

"Confirming it's true."

He sprinted towards the staffroom. Meiling and Kinomoto were close behind. He entered the room without knocking.

"Teacher! Have you marked yesterday's history exam paper?" said Syaoran.

"No, it's right here," said the teacher, pointing to the sealed box on his desk. "But-"

"Can we check something please?" Syaoran reached for the box.

"But we haven't marked it yet," he interjected. "You'll get your exam soon if-"

"Please teacher, we need to check something now," pleaded Kinomoto. "If you could please, flick through one of the papers."

"Fine," he relented. He opened the box and flicked through the top paper. "Why is it blank?! Did someone switch it? Do you know anything to do with this?!" He pointed to each of the students in turn.

"It's as I feared," said Syaoran. "We're repeating the same day over again."

* * *

><p>The school's public announcement system blared. "Attention all staff and students. There has been an announcement form the International Committee. As many are now well aware, there is a worldwide time crisis. However, the Committee has urged for everyone to remain calm. Investigations are currently underway and ask that the people in Lecourt cooperate with the law enforcement teams and remain calm."<p>

Meiling and the others bumped into Miss Daidouji who was talking with Mr Flowright and Mr Lafarga outside the main gates.

"Did you hear the announcement?" asked Miss Daidouji.

"I didn't it at first when Fye told me, but…" Mr Lafarga trailed off. Like Miss Kinomoto, he didn't have any magical powers. It wasn't that well known because his football skills and physical mastery compensated for the deficiency.

"What do you think we should do?" asked Meiling.

"I don't know about all of you," said Syaoran. "But I'm going to find this person responsible for this."

"But the International Committee said that the law enforcement teams are handling it," said Miss Kinomoto. "We could use this time to study for the mathematics exam."

Mr Flowright spoke up, "I don't think that that would be the case."

"Why?" asked Meiling's friend.

"The last time this happened, everyone tried to live out normal lives but it didn't work. Everything they worked for that day reset when midnight came, and those without any power would have their memories reset every day too," he explained."And the worst thing about this is that anyone who died in one cycle would most likely die in the next loops regardless of the previous cycle."

Meiling nodded in agreement.

"That is a lie right?" asked Miss Daidouji to Meiling.

"No. Syaoran and I have heard this story too," she said. "The last person to rewind time was a man born into the Li Clan, Clow Reed."

"Why midnight?" said Miss Kinomoto.

"Time is a yin or negative magical force," Meiling explained. "For yin magic to be at its strongest, yang positive forces, such as the sun, have to be at its furthest point."

"So we have less than half a day to find this person until he or she can rewind time again," said Mr Lafarga.

"Why should we even look for this person?" asked Miss Kinomoto. "What makes you think that the person is in Lecourt?"

"The committee sent the message to Lecourt, so that means that it is likely the person is here or in the same time zone," said Syaoran. "As long as we don't hinder the law enforcement teams, it should be fine. The more eyes searching for the culprit, the sooner the person will be found."

All the other students agreed. Her fiance could be really charismatic and inspiring at times.

* * *

><p>Midnight was nearly upon them and there weren't any more announcements to say that the culprit was found.<p>

Syaoran scowled at his Rashinban. It could only lead him to a magic source only if it was in use.

He could hardly feel his fingers. He really wanted time to move forward so that it would stop snowing.

There was still many people searching the town and others waiting in public places for midnight to occur.

The station chronometer tower started to chime and the board lit up.

The light led him straight to the large cherry blossom tree in the park. He could feel a strong magical force radiating from the tree. The beam pointed straight at a girl standing in front of the tree.

"Hey!"

The girl turned around. It was Sakura Kinomoto.

But she doesn't have any powers.

The chronometer rang.

"Mr Li," she said, stepping aside revealing a small boy.

Light reflected on the lenses of his round spectacles, hiding his eyes. The Rashinban pointed directly at the kid. A magic circle with a sun and moon encircled the cherry blossom tree.

"That's the culprit!" Syaoran yelled, running towards them.

The final stroke of midnight tolled.

* * *

><p>"I'm late!" Sakura couldn't believe that she slept through her alarm today, of all days. She had her history exam. Why was her bed so warm and comfortable on a winter's day? She was on time for school all of last week. Why couldn't she be on time today too?<p>

She quickly changed and ate her breakfast.

"Sakura, wait!" said her mother, just entering as she was leaving.

"Sorry! I'm late! I'll see you later" said Sakura.

She clicked her heels and jumped to cover as much ground as possible. She prayed that she wasn't too late.

* * *

><p>Sakura was surprised to find Tomoyo, Meiling and Mr Li standing outside the school gates all out of uniform. Meiling and Mr Li were wearing their ceremonial robes from the dinner.<p>

"I'm so glad! I-,"

"Made it" Meiling finished. She handed a drink bottle to Sakura who was now sitting on the ground.

"Hoe, what's going on?" She tilted her head sideways. "Don't we have an exam?"

"Do you remember who that child you were with in the park last night was?" asked Mr Li, kneeling so he was eye to eye with her.

"Park? I was at home studying," she said. She took a sip of the drink. "It tastes like cocoa."

"Have you met up with a child in the park before?" his eyes grew intense.

Meiling put a hand on her cousin's shoulder. "It's no use. She doesn't remember anything."

"What's going on?" asked Sakura.

"Sakura, this is difficult to believe but we are experiencing the same day all over again," explained Tomoyo, handing her the morning's newspaper. "However, because you have no magical abilities, you have no recollection of the previous days."

Sakura read the newspaper headline. It was difficult to believe, but Tomoyo wouldn't lie about this.

"Ok, so what now?"

Tomoyo handed Sakura a small pile of clothes that she pulled out of her enchanted purse. "First put this on."

"Now?" she complained. "Why?"

Tomoyo began to build an invisibility barrier surrounding Sakura.

"I've told you many times before that clothes are important. They carry memories and strength. That is why we wear old ones, and why we wear new ones as a symbol for hope and change. This costume will give you the gift of flight and keep you warm."

Sakura felt the long floaty material. It radiated a comforting heat. At the bottom of the pile was a pair of intricately laced butterfly wings. Tomoyo always put a lot of effort into make clothes for her to wear.

"I also wanted to see you as a fairy flying freely through the skies!"

Sakura could imagine Tomoyo go into her dazed state. She started changing clothes.

"Last night I saw you talking with a young boy," said Mr Li, through the barrier. "I think that is who is reversing time. We need to find him and make him stop. Most likely he'll go to the tree in the middle of the park at midnight, but-"

Sakura stepped out of the barrier.

"The sooner the better, right?" she said.

* * *

><p>Sakura was sitting on a bench with a clear view of the tree, sipping the drink that Meiling made and her staff on her lap. The drink drove away some of her exhaustion, but her wings had run out of magical energy.<p>

It was starting to lightly snow.

The plan was to search for the child in the primary schools. But they had to be careful not to alarm the child or the authorities because of the high penalties. If they couldn't find the child, hopefully he would once again arrive at the tree.

"Good evening, Sakura," bowed a young boy about the age of a kindergartener. "We meet again."

"Again? Who-" she began.

The boy sat down on the seat next to her.

"The healers keep saying that my mother won't make it until tomorrow," he said, quietly. In the lamplight, Sakura noted that his eyes were swollen as if he cried recently.

"Don't worry. Everything will be all right."

He gazed at the cherry blossom tree in the distance. "You said that yesterday."

"Yesterday?"

"And the day before that," he added. "Although, you weren't wearing those interesting clothes then." The kid pulled out a pair of round spectacles from his pocket.

"Meiling! Come back here!" shouted Mr Li from somewhere close by.

"Oi, you brat!" Meiling held the child by the back of his shirt.

"Meiling stop this!" yelled Sakura, forcing her friend's fist open.

"But he's responsible for this time loop!"

Mr Li arrived to steer the Meiling away. Tomoyo, who arrived with the Li cousins, knelt to the boy's level.

"Good evening," she said. "I apologize for my friend, Meiling's rough behaviour. My name is Tomoyo. What's your name?"

"Eriol," he said.

"Well, Eriol, will you tell us why you are here?"

"My mother used to tell the power within the cherry blossom tree could perform miracles," he said avoiding their gaze.

"His mother is ill," whispered Sakura to Tomoyo. They looked at the small boy with concern. He wrapped his arms around himself.

"Everyone passes away. My father did a couple years ago." Tomoyo wrapped him up in her cloak. "Time heals all things, but it needs to move forward to do so."

Sakura sat on Eriol's other side. "Everything will definitely be all right," she said.

"You promise?"

"I promise."

Sakura smelt smoke. The station chronometer tower started to chime.

"Come back!" she yelled. She caught up to Eriol near where Mr Li was shouting at Meiling in front of a raging blaze. "What are you doing, Eriol?"

"The tree has lots of magical energy!" he said, pointing towards the cherry blossom tree behind the blaze. "We can use its magic to stop the fire."

Without hesitating, Mr Li jumped up the nearest tree and then into the branches of the next tree. Flames obstructed him from view. Tomoyo had to restrain Meiling from following him into the flames. Sakura could only hear the roar of the flames.

Finally, clouds gathered and it started to pour.

The grass close to them was burnt but the frost at the base of the cherry blossom tree melted away brilliant green grass. The tree itself was in full bloom.

Mr Li was leaning heavily on the trunk, arms red and raw but smiling. His smile faded as he lurched forward. Meiling was the first to reach him, catching him before he hit the ground.

When Sakura reached him, she started to cry in relief too.

The chronometer stuck midnight.

* * *

><p>"Time must have moved forward," said Meiling, sagely. "You're actually early, Miss Kinomoto."<p>

"That's what my brother said to me this morning too," she replied.

Meiling and Syaoran for once arrived after Miss Kinomoto. They were waiting in the crowd of students near the examination hall.

"I'm surprised that you got up this early considering how late you must have gone home," added Miss Daidouji. She pondered the sky. "Is it going to rain again?"

"Not you too, Tomoyo!"

Meiling and Miss Daidouji laughed.

"How are you feeling, Mr Li?" asked Miss Kinomoto.

"I'm good. The kid is fine too," he said. "We took him to his mother."

Even in sickness, Eriol's mother was beautiful. Her long, black as night hair trailed the length of the bed, and Meiling could feel the love for her son through the warmth in her crimson eyes.

"You don't think that he will be found out?" asked Miss Kinomoto, who left last night with Tomoyo and an angry older brother.

"I think that he'll be fine. No one else knew," said Meiling. "But we were nearly charged for starting the fire yesterday when we got Syaoran's burns treated."

"But Meiling-"

"I have an announcement to make," said Ms Mizuki, amplifying her voice. "Due to the time loop crisis, we have to rewrite the history and literature exams. So a substitute exam will take place next week at the same scheduled times."

"We have to do the test again?!" said Meiling.

"At least we have time to study," said Miss Konomoto.

"However, tomorrow," continued the teacher. "The mathematics exam will occur as scheduled."

"Hoe! Help me, Tomoyo! Meiling! Mr Li!" begged Miss Kinomoto.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

_- Happy New Year to all the reviewers, followers and readers of this story! I hope that you have a wonderful 2015!_

_- This chapter is a was going to be split into two, but the last one was a little short._

_- Sakura also wore a fairy costume when she captured the Time Card, but I pictured it to be more like Marie Taglioni's La Sylphide's 19th century ballet costume. She shortened her skirts to about calf length to show off her pointe work. Apparently this was considered quite scandalous in those times. Ha._

_- From memory, I think that the idea of this story started with the premise of this chapter. Instead of how Sakura kept remembering what happened when time reset because she had magical powers, what would happen if everyone but her had magical powers so that she was the only one who didn't remember?_

_- That literature exam question was based on one I had in high school one year._

_- Let me know what you think of the story!_


	6. Sakura's Happy New Year

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>Meiling fell down for the third time in a row. She untangled herself from the dragon costume and glared at Syaoran who managed to stay on the pole.<p>

"Stop dropping me!" she yelled.

"Maybe you should pay attention!" he yelled back.

Meiling gritted her teeth and took a breath. "Can we take a break? I'm going to get hurt! We've been practising all week since classes finished and cooking all day! I'm tired, Syaoran!"

"No, we need to make this perfect." He jumped to the starting position, waiting for her.

Why does Syaoran have to be so strict all the time?

"It's not as if we haven't done this trick before," she said. "We're just rattled. We need a break."

Syaoran closed his mouth. She won this argument.

"We're leaving for Piffle Palace soon," said Aunt Yelan, by the doorway. "The two of you should prepare now."

Maybe Meiling didn't win the argument, yet, but the outcome was the same.

"But-,"

She was already walking out the door. "I'm going to take a bath."

Meiling went to her own bathroom to clean off the sweat and grime. She put the temperature as high as she could tolerate.

Begrudgingly, her cousin had a point. They would be performing in front of royalty; it had to be perfect otherwise they would be dishonour to the clan.

But she was exhausted.

Meiling didn't want to start the year angry at her fiancé; it would be a bad omen for the New Year.

She realized something and smiled. The stroke of midnight would be perfect for them to kiss and make up.

* * *

><p>"Good wishes! Good Fortune!" Tomoyo and Sakura greeted the Li cousins in the Zhonguo language.<p>

Tomoyo and her cousin were wearing long sleeved kimonos her mother returned with her from her business trip to The Taiyo Isles and had flowers pinning their hair into intricate shapes.

Tomoyo's kimono was a scarlet red that faded to black at the hem and was embroidered with silver and sun coloured hibiscus flowers, ginkgo and bamboo leaves. A golden obi was tied in a tateya musubi, or standing arrow knot, at the back.

Sakura wore a mandarin kimono with a golden hem. Gold and sunset coloured herons, cherry blossoms and peach flowers decorated the garment. A fukura-suzume musubi, or puffed sparrow knot, was tied at the back with an obi matching the embroidery.

"Happy New Year," replied the Li cousins, Mr Li obviously surprised.

"I really like what you're wearing," said Meiling.

Tomoyo smiled serenely in reply.

"You look amazing, Meiling," said Sakura.

"Of course," said Meiling. She posed, showing off sleek, form-fitting, long-sleeved dress that ended at her ankles revealing red shoes with a slight heel. The garment was of the latest Zhonguo style, with a standing collar that was hooked closed with golden buttons. Despite its thin appearance, Meiling looked comfortable. Tomoyo had taught her how infuse magic within the fabric to keep her warm. The scarlet and gold brocade suited her skin tone exceptionally.

The three girls laughed.

"I thought you said that you were going to spend New Year's with your family," Mr Li said to Sakura.

His dark red Zhonguo suit was well tailored to him. There was a row of ornamental buttons straight down the front and the white silk of the shirt underneath peeked from under his cuffs and standing collar.

Tomoyo overheard her relatives commenting on his sharp looks and inquiring about his eligibility for their own daughters and nieces.

"Didn't you know? Tomoyo and I are second cousins with the Princess Emeraude and Prince Ferio through our mothers," said Sakura. "They're part of the Amamiya Clan."

"Syaoran! Good wishes! Good Fortune!" said Fye, rubbing his head. "Nice haircut. You too, Meiling."

Fye wore the latest Lecourt fashion; a long dark blue jacket, ebony straight pants, white shirt, light blue bow tie and matching vest. The blond ponytail at the nape of his neck was bound with white fabric.

"What are you doing here?" asked Mr Li.

"I'm eighteenth in line for the throne," he said. "I am of the Imperial House of Flowright after all."

"You never let us forget," said Meiling. "And it isn't that impressive. Tomoyo is ninth in line."

"Her father was first cousins with the King," Sakura explained to Mr Li.

"Cousin Tomoyo! Cousin Fye! Sakura! Have you seen the kittens?" the golden haired twins ran up to them in contrasting frilly black and white dresses.

"No, not yet," said Tomoyo to her cousins. She gestured to the Li's. "Have you greeted our guests from Zhonguo, Mr Syaoran Li and Miss Meiling Li?"

"Happy New Year." They curtsied in unison.

"I'm Freya," said the elder in black.

"I'm Elda," said the younger in white. They spoke enthusiastically. "The kittens are so cute. Have you seen them? Our Cousin Emi's feline gave birth last week."

"We want to keep one."

"But our mother won't let us."

"Do you want one?"

"They're really cute." They pulled on Meiling and Fye's hands.

"We're about to have dinner," said Tomoyo. "How about we give them a quick tour and then we all get cleaned up?"

The twins agreed, on the condition that the guests see the kittens along the way. They led the way with Meiling and Fye in tow. The other three followed a few paces behind.

Sakura was pointing out the relatives closest to them in age. "There's Kendappa Daidouji, Tomoyo's first cousin talking with my brother. She goes to university in Zhonguo where her mother is from." The two paused their conversation to wave, and glare in Cousin Toya's case, at them.

"I believe that she attends the same university that all our mothers met," said Tomoyo.

"Did your mothers grow up in Zhonguo?" asked Mr Li, glaring briefly at Cousin Toya.

"I think that my mother stayed at The Taiyo Isles until her parents passed away," said Sakura. "Then she went to live in the capital with Aunt Sonomi's father. You met him when you arrived to Lecourt."

"Grandfather and most of his family moved here when our mothers were still in high school," said Tomoyo. "But my Aunt Saya had already started university, so she was permitted to stay there for the duration of her studies but later married Uncle Kyougo of the Hanato Clan instead."

"Aunt Sonomi still gets angry about that every time it's brought up."

"Well, it is to be expected of her. That is why she later did an exchange year in Heung Gong University and also convinced Aunt Nadeshiko to do so as well."

After a few moments later when they entered the parlour where the felines were kept, Mr Li asked, "Are you related to a Kobato Hanato?"

"She's our cousin!" said Sakura, excitedly. "Have you met her sisters too?"

He shook his head.

"How do you know their cousin?" asked Meiling, hearing the commotion.

"I never talked to her but she was in my class last year," he said. "She went to a different primary school, so you never met her, Meiling."

She went back to stroking the kitten in her hand.

"She was always home sick though," said Mr Li, a hint of concern tinged his words.

Tomoyo and Sakura looked at each other briefly.

"Kotori has always been frail," said Tomoyo, sadly.

"But we got a New Year's card and letter from them recently," said Sakura, a touch more cheerfully. "It seems like she's getting better."

* * *

><p>In between dinner courses, Sakura and her cousin were to perform. She was to accompany Tomoyo's singing on the organ. She was very persuasive when she wanted to be.<p>

As they were setting up Sakura could hear snatches of hushed conversations from Tomoyo's relatives.

"Is that Sakura Kinomoto?" whispered a Lady.

"Yes, she's certainly turning into the spitting image of her mother," said the man next to her.

"Lucky for her," commented a second Lady. "I heard she doesn't have any magical powers."

"Poor thing," said the first. "Born into the great Amamiya Clan without any power; God and the spirits can be so cruel."

"She must have done something terrible in her previous life," added the second Lady.

"The girl will still probably able to marry well, all things considered," snickered the man.

Sakura's cheeks burned.

"Sakura, remember your invincible spell," whispered Tomoyo. "We have been practising all week and playing this song together for years."

Sakura was thankful for Tomoyo, and she put on a smile for her parents' and brother's sakes.

But she was still rattled. She played the wrong notes a couple times. Her hands shook. At one point she lost her place, but Tomoyo hid the mistakes with her own skilful singing.

They received a round of applause.

"Poor thing can't do anything right."

"She's hopeless isn't she?"

Sakura sat in silence for the rest of the dinner not looking at anyone.

She couldn't truly enjoy the midnight flower-fire display from the balcony with the others. Tomoyo was engaged in polite conversation with several ladies in the court, her parents looked very content and in love, and the Li Cousins were being introduced to the princess and prince by Fye. Even her brother was busy talking with Kendappa.

The twins innocent as they are, tried to cheer her up. But Sakura excused herself from the celebrations to find a space where she could be by herself.

* * *

><p>Syaoran was surprised to find Kinomoto by herself, playing with the kittens.<p>

The room was dark except for the colourful flashes of flower-fire visible from the tall windows. The walls were enchanted to silence the sounds from the outside. He could only hear the content purr of the felines and a faint sniffling.

He retreated, knocking into the door. He shouldn't be disturbing her while she was like this. He was just trying to escape from Meiling and Prince Fye, as he insists on being called. Syaoran thought that the title was a nickname given by the girls at school. He should have realized that he was of royal blood when they met by his last name.

One of the kittens meowed and the girl turned her head to see who the newcomer was. The explosions of light made her eyes and the trails of tears shine.

"Mr Li?" said Kinomoto, wiping her cheeks with a handkerchief. "Are you here to play with the kittens too?"

Syaoran stepped into the room. Her nose was only a little discoloured.

"Sorry, he said. "I didn't mean to disturb you."

She shook her head and motioned for him to go and sit next to her on the sofa.

"No, it's okay." She handed him a kitten. "I haven't seen you since the semester ended. What have you been doing since then?"

"Practising," Syaoran replied. "Studying."

"Really? It's the holidays," she said, with a little laugh. "No wonder you do so well in school. Your family must be very proud of you."

"I guess," he shrugged.

"Seriously? You're exceptionally good in all of your subjects. And you're amazing at sports. And you have extremely strong magical powers."

The kitten in her lap mewed as if in agreement.

He concentrated on the one in his own. "When you're part of an ancient clan there are high expectations of you."

"I know," she said quietly. The girl was facing the windows.

Syaoran wished he never made that comment. She was a member of the powerful Amamiya Clan without any magical powers.

"Don't worry. Everything will definitely be all right."

Syaoran wondered how she could be smiling at him like that.

"How do you celebrate New Year's in Zhonguo?" she said.

"Usually we would be eating a banquet with all the family now. But in Zhonguo, New Year's celebrations last for a couple weeks and we'll be travelling there tomorrow afternoon to spend rest of the holidays there," he said. He was not looking forward to the crowded aerotrains and traffic once in Heung Gong. "We also light our own flower-fire."

"Wow!" she clapped her hands. "My Mother and father said that they used to do that when they lived there as children. Do you also receive the lucky money in red envelopes?"

"Yes. Do you?"

She nodded. "It's one of the few traditions we retained. Are you still doing the dragon dance? Meiling said that you were having a few difficulties earlier."

"Mother promised that we would."

"Did she even ask you if you wanted to do it?" she exclaimed. She opened her eyes in panic. "Sorry I shouldn't ask that. Forget I said such a thing."

"I don't mind." When he was a kid, he couldn't wait until he was old enough to learn how to do those tricks he saw his cousins and sisters perform. "I find it fun."

She exhaled. "I'm glad."

The last flower-fire faded, and the lights returned.

"I guess we should return to the others," she said, standing up. The kitten returned to its litter. "You're performing, right?"

He nodded. Syaoran followed her to the ballroom while is mind buzzed for the right words thanking her for reminding how he used to enjoy dragon dancing.

Just as Sakura Kinomoto walked past him through the door Syaoran said, "I don't think you're hopeless."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

_- Hi, so this is the last chapter of the story that I wrote... jokes. Sorta. I inserted this in after the first (terribly written) draft to add something to the story that would contrast between the previous chapter and the next couple ones and to add some sort of a basis for the characters relationships later on. Stay tuned!_

_- Review, favourite, follow! =) And thank you for reading the story so far!_

_- Hmm... the timing of the release was a little off. Oh well. _


	7. Sakura and the Parasite

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>There was a crowd of people looking the noticeboards; the top hundred rankings for the mathematics test were up.<p>

"Morning, Tomoyo!" It was Sakura, looking as lovely usual, wearing a ribbon headband that matched her eyes. "What's wrong?" she said with concern.

Tomoyo wiped her tears. "Oh, I'm just sublimely happy. Look at the rankings."

"Wow! Congratulations! You got third like last year!"

"That is not why I am happy. Look over there," Tomoyo pointed to the end of the list and watched as Sakura's face went form confused yet cute, to pure delight.

"HOE?!" she yelled, startling a few people around her.

"What's all the fuss about, Miss Kinomoto?" asked Meiling arriving with her cousin.

"Meiling! Mr Li! Welcome back! I'm ranked! I'm a hundredth!" Sakura bounced excitedly holding the girl's hands.

"Are you serious? That's an amazing improvement actually," said Meiling. "Good job. Where am I? Ah, second? I dropped a place, but I guess it can't be helped since it's Syaoran."

"That's amazing, Mr Li!" exclaimed Sakura, clapping. "First place! Congratulations!"

"It's nothing really."

"Hoe? But it's first place! And you were also helping me with mathematics throughout the semester. Thank you so much!"

He avoided her eyes. "It's nothi-"

Sakura stood on her toes trying to catch his gaze. "No. It honestly means a lot to me. I've never ranked before."

Tomoyo witnessed both of their expressions soften.

"Now that you're first you'll be moving up the first class with me!" said Meiling linking arms with Mr Li.

"Oh, yeah, that's right," said Sakura, somewhat deflated.

"Congratulations, Syaoran," said Fye, clapping the other boy's shoulder. Fye put his arm around Sakura's shoulder, catching Tomoyo's eyes and nodding conspiratorially in the direction of Mr Li. "Don't worry! You still have me, Miss Hundred,"

"Thank you, Mr Ninety-Nine."

Fye addressed Meiling. "By the way, a senior was looking for you."

"Ah that's right, I was supposed to give the forms for the upcoming Bartitsu Competition," Meiling said, rushing off. She doubled back and said to her cousin, "Syaoran, don't forget to ask the deputy principal to move you to my class. See you later. "

"Sakura and Fye look pretty good together, do you agree?" Tomoyo smiled at Mr Li once Meiling had disappeared. Her relatives were laughing and congratulating and consoling their friends.

"W-what?!"

"They have known each other since Kindergarten," she said.

Tomoyo observed his eyes flicker to Sakura and Fye.

She mimed a shocked expression. "Did you not know that? I thought that you were close friends with him because you are in most of each other's classes, and since Fye is in the same mathematics class as you and Sakura after all."

He regained his composure. "This doesn't concern me. I'm going to talk to the teacher."

Tomoyo laughed to herself quietly as Mr Li determinedly walked away.

* * *

><p>That Daidouji! Why would he care about Sakura Kinomoto and Fye?<p>

When Syaoran reached the staffroom a crowd was starting to gather outside the door. He could hear shouts from the inside.

"What can't you give me the mark!?" demanded a female student.

"I can't give you the marks because you because you didn't use the word "logic,"" said the teacher, calmly.

"But I used "sequential order!""

"I'm sorry, but I cannot award you those marks."

"This is ridiculous! Life isn't about what words you use! It's the meaning behind it!"

The girl exited the room, swinging the door violently. The crowd of students scuttled from her route.

Syaoran was surprised to see that she was wearing a small pair of wings. The academy had very strict uniform regulations.

Ms Mizuki stood at the staffroom and observed the students who were now dispersing. The deputy principal was in the room handing a cup of tea to another teacher, who he presumed was the one talking to the female student moments ago.

"Mr Syaoran Li," said Ms Mizuki. "Congratulations on getting first place, and after entering halfway through the semester too."

"Thank you," he said.

"No, we should be thanking you," said the teacher. "Your presence has truly motivated the class to do their best, especially Ms Sakura. She and the rest of the class seem to like you a lot too."

"I like the class too," said Syaoran. He was surprised to find that it was the truth. Their loud and distracting ways made the classes interesting and enjoyable.

"That's good to hear. Ah, that's the bell," she said, shooing him away. "You better not be late."

"Ok."

When he reached the end of the hallway, Syaoran felt very confused. He didn't get a chance to swap class.

But did he actually need to? It would be a hassle to deal with new classmates after finally getting used to Sakura Kinomoto and the others.

And his ranking and marks in mathematics would satisfy Mother. Wei always said that education depends on the student and not the teacher.

Syaoran sighed and continued walking to magical theory class. Hopefully Meiling would understand.

* * *

><p>Meiling was furious with Syaoran. When the bell ended for their mathematics class, which he didn't attend, she went and cornered him as he was packing up.<p>

She yelled. He yelled back. Students left the classroom after a glare from Syaoran, and they yelled some more.

Meiling breathed deeply trying to reorganize her thoughts.

"Meiling! There you are!"

Meiling and Syaoran turned to the newcomer in the doorway. She marched towards them.

"I thought that you said that you were going to have the competition forms in first thing this morning!" she said. Meiling flinched.

"Sorry! I was looking for you this morning," she said, taking the forms from her bag. "We have training this afternoon. I thought that I could give you the forms them. "

"Sorry doesn't solve it! You volunteered to collect the forms and give them to me this morning, which you didn't, so that I could focus on other things. I should've done it myself." She snatched the forms out of Meiling's hand and stormed out of the classroom.

"Hey, who was that girl?" asked Syaoran.

Meiling felt her temper rise again. How dare he ask about another girl and not about how she was feeling!

He noticed her expression and quickly said, "I saw her this morning arguing with one of the teachers."

Meiling took a deep breath. "She's the Bartitsu Club captain. She's not normally like that though."

"Aren't those wings on her back against school regulation?" he said.

"Wings? She doesn't have wings on her back?"

"But I saw them. They're similar to a dove's," said Syaoran. He was always more in tune with spirits than she was. "And they're bigger than last time."

"Maybe it's one of those occurrences when not everyone with spiritual powers can see them," she suggested. "It doesn't matter."

Meiling was still angry at Syaoran, but he had good judgement. One class wasn't worth staying mad at him for long.

She hooked her arm with his and together they went to eat their recess.

* * *

><p>Sakura was having dinner at home with her parents and brother. It was increasingly rare for them to have dinner together with her brother always busy with his part-time work and university and father being called to other countries for his research.<p>

"What's wrong, Miss Sakura?" asked her father.

"Hoe?" she looked up from her food. "How did you know?"

"I may be often away on business trips but I know my own daughter."

"Well at school," began Sakura, "the captain of the Bartitsu Club kept yelling at everyone. We have a competition coming up and she's getting really stressed about it, saying that she wishes that it was someone else's responsibility. That was the first time I've heard her complain."

"She's a senior," said her mother. "So you have to understand that she's under a lot of pressure to choose what she wants to do in the future."

"Yeah, I understand that." Sakura paused before adding, "But Meiling mentioned something strange as well. She said that her cousin, Mr Syaoran Li, said that he saw wings on her back. But no one else could see it."

"What are you doing hanging with that brat?" said her brother.

"He's not a brat!"

Their parents looked at one another.

"Sakura, do you know what kind of wings they resembled?" asked her father.

"Feathered ones like a doves and apparently they're growing." Sakura could sense their increasing discomfort. "What is the matter?"

"Sakura, listen to me," said her father in a serious manner. "What you've described sounds is comparable to some tale I've been hearing about during my travels; persons described as nice and considerate suddenly become easily agitated and aggressive. Occasionally you'd hear of someone noticing wings identical to a dove's on these people. They'll say that the wings grew as the person becomes more aggressive, and then wings would coincidentally be gone once the person is calm again."

"So that's a good thing right?" said Sakura.

"No," her father said, shaking his head sadly. "It means that their soul has departed and the body dies soon after. Those wings are called "Ko". They're vermin that paralyse a person's heart which surrounds their soul. It's a person's restraint, which is very important in helping with dealing with other people. Once that's out of the way, it's easier to steal a person's soul."

"Who and why would someone do such a thing?" asked her brother.

"Do you think you can find her?" said her mother.

"Is there a way to stop this?" Sakura said.

"There's an old book in our library that contains a cure they used the last time it spread," said her father, rising. "It will take a while, but if you find her while I make the medicine we might be able to stop the process. Toya, go with her to keep her safe and contact me on your chronometer-telephone when you find Sakura's friend."

"Here. Think of your friend," Her mother placed a handkerchief in Sakura's hand. It folded over to form a bird. Her mother cast a spell over the bird and said, "This handkerchief will turn into a butterfly when she's near. I hope that you find her."

"Thank you. Everything will be all right."

* * *

><p>Toya and Sakura rode across the sky on his bicycle following the handkerchief-bird. He went over the conversation in his mind. His parents were hiding something. The bird glowed and turned into a butterfly.<p>

"Hey, we're getting close," he said.

"Hoe?" Sakura shifted behind him to get a better look. It was the sound she made since leaving the house. She was obviously worried about her friend, but Toya wasn't the kind of person for sentimental words.

He continued to follow the handkerchief-butterfly.

The butterfly flew down to a terraced house. The butterfly hovered near a beam of light coming out of the second floor. It unfurled and floated to Sakura.

Toya traced the light to a board engraved with Zhonguo characters being held by a teenaged boy.

"Mr Li!" Sakura jumped off before he could even turn around. He landed quickly. It was the Li brat.

"What are you doing here?" said his sister. Since when was Sakura friendly with him?

"Mother sent me to find that girl while she, Meiling and your father make the medicine," he said.

Toya called his father on his pocket chronophone to let him know where they were.

"I think she's coming out," said the brat.

The light started moving downwards and Toya could hear the shouting from the inside.

The front door burst open and a girl, who he guessed to be the Sakura's friend, screeched something to someone inside and slammed the door shut.

The brat swore.

"What did you say?" Toya said to the kid.

"Her wings are much bigger now," he replied staring at the girl.

She noticed them. "Hey! What are you doing in front of my house?"

"Captain!" greeted Sakura, stepping towards her. "We just wanted to invite you over to my house for dinner."

"Just had it," said the other girl, sidestepping his sister. "Leave me alone!"

Toya's sister ran next to the other girl. "How about dessert then?"

"I said leave me alone!" The girl pushed Sakura aside.

Toya didn't care if she was a girl, no one pushes his sister.

"Hey don't provoke her," said the kid in low tones, blocking Toya. "We need to wait for your father to come with the cure."

"Hey why are you whispering?" the girl said the two of them. "I bet that you're criticizing my looks!"

The rocks around her began to crack.

Toya's father arrived. "Hey, I hope that I'm not too late with the cure. How is the situation?" he said.

"Not good," said the kid. "They're large."

"Miss, I have some food for you to try," said his father, looking at Sakura for assistance.

"It's the dessert I was talking about," said Sakura. "It's really delicious."

"I don't want it! I'm fat enough as it is!" said the girl. The fissures crept along the cobble stones. "I need to cut weight for the competition!"

"It will help you lose weight!"

She snapped her head towards Sakura. "Are you saying I'm fat?!"

"No," she retreated.

Toya and the others could hardly stand up straight anymore.

"I can't take it anymore!" she screamed, pulling on her hair.

The brat threw a paper talisman onto her forehead.

The trembling stopped, and the girl fainted. Sakura ran to be by her side.

The kid swore. "The wings are flying."

Toya couldn't perceive anything but the kid jumped onto the roof.

The kid chanted some spell and the winds picked up. But then he was floating in the air, gasping for air. Toya saw the Li magic circle and a blaze erupt, surrounding the teenager.

When the flames died down he was falling.

Toya's father slowed down his descent with his magic.

Sakura was by the girl's side, but was watching the kid. He was quickly regaining consciousness. Toya's sister tried shaking the girl awake.

"Hey, can you hear me, captain?" The girl stared into space.

Sakura's questions became more desperate. Her father gently put a hand on her shoulder.

"We can't save her anymore," he said, closing the empty girl's eyes.

* * *

><p>"Sakura, the service is over," said her mother, "What are you still doing in the chapel? Our carriage ready to take us to the burial grounds."<p>

Her mother was a silhouette in the arched doorway. The multi-coloured sunlight from the stained glass windows played shadows on her face as she moved forward to stand by Sakura. The soft glow from the rows of candles illuminated her gentle expression.

Sakura watched the candles flicker.

"I just needed more time to think," she said.

"What are you thinking about?"

Her mother waited for a response. She always encouraged Sakura to talk about her feelings.

Sakura struggled to catch a coherent thought. "It was my fault. I shouldn't have said that to her. I should've made her eat the cure. If I've done something different, then she'd still be-"

She let the tears flow and felt herself be wrapped up in her mother's warm embrace.

"The past can't be undone, Sakura," soothed her mother. "It's no one's fault. Everything will be all right."

They stood that way for several moments.

"Some people think that she shouldn't have received a funeral because she lost her soul," said Sakura. She noticed an unlit candle.

"Don't worry about what other people think. Funerals are about celebrating and remembering the life of the departed and for loved ones to say their last goodbyes," said her mother. "The souls will eventually make their way to where they are supposed to go and your friend's will too."

Sakura's mother wiped her tears. "What do you reckon will happen to her soul?"

"Her soul could go to the spirit world, heaven, hell, the countless living worlds, or even the dreams which connect them all."

"Can you see what will happen in your dreams?"

Her mother shook her head. "I can view the future in my dreams, but that does not mean that I know everything that will come to pass. The paths that connect them are infinite and so are the possibilities." She blew on a candle bringing the flame to light. "That's why I can still pray and hope for a better future."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's notes:<strong>

_- I hope that you're all okay. I'd apologize for possibly making you sad, but I guess it means that my writing is effective enough to make you do so..._(?)_ so, erm, thank you. Hopefully, it amuses you as well. I'd like to know ;) _

_- Post exams... rankings (my school never publicly displayed ours actually, but word spread) and arguing with teachers for marks. Not one of my favourite experiences of high school._

_- I used to practice taekwondo. The struggle to lose weight before a competition is real. _

_- If anything is confusing, let me know. Some things will be revealed in later chapters._


	8. Sakura and her Precious Friend: Part 1

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>Meiling scowled at the girl with the ugly puffy hair. The hairstyle made her look like she had three ugly heads.<p>

No.

Meiling had to focus. There was seven seconds after the referee blew the whistle and she was down by a point. It was the last match of the day. Her lungs were gasping for air and her muscles were so painful she wanted to rip them out. But first she needed to wipe that smug sneer of her opponent's face, with her foot. She only required one clean attack for the golden point round, unless…

The whistle blew.

Meiling charged in with her a rapid series of attacks. Her opponent blocked them. Meiling jumped and side kicked to the girl's stomach with more force than she thought she had left. She knocked her opponent out of bounds.

The referee blew the whistle and the sounds of the cheering crowd hit her.

She checked the scoreboard and it read one more point in her favour. Meiling landed a clean kick and knocked her opponent out bounds scoring two points to win within seven seconds.

Meiling bowed and shook hands with her opponent, who was glowering.

She turned to smile at her supporters and was alarmed to find the closest ones bounding towards her. Meiling was surrounded by her teammates in a sweaty and tight group hug, all laughing and rejoicing.

* * *

><p>Their celebrations continued on to their celebratory dinner in the town. Along the way Miss Daidouji showing her and Miss Kinomoto the photos she took during the competition. Most were of Miss Kinomoto, but there were some nice images that Meiling liked of herself.<p>

"Congratulations to you both on winning your competitions," said Miss Daidouji.

"It's really because of Meiling's advice I won my final's match," said Miss Kinomoto, smiling at her. "And she was the reason why everyone else did so well today."

Their teammates cheerfully agreed. They were a stark contrast to the group she arrived to at training the day after the Bartitsu Club captain's funeral.

Meiling was worried that they would hate her after she started yelling at them and shoving a few of them to start training seriously. But they all seemed to be in high spirits now.

"Thank you, everyone," said Meiling, touched. "I knew you all had it in you. All I did was shake you a little bit for it come out."

"A little bit?" laughed someone.

"And you were so busy helping to make the cures to be distributed amongst the healers," said one of the juniors.

"And I heard that you were getting paid to do so too," said another.

Meiling had been working with her aunt, Miss Kinomoto's father and the teachers to make and further develop the Ko cure. During her last magical research period, she found out that the dissolvable version they developed broke down and became useless if it was heated above boiling point.

She had also hunted Ko with Syaoran to spend a bit more time with him. She merely lasted a couple nights before everything became too tiring despite her magical energy drink. He continued on as he was one of the few people who could identify the parasite.

Meiling spotted her fiancé chatting with some of their classmates. As if by fate, he turned his head at the exact moment.

The junior girls squealed, and he turned away alarmed. He was so shy.

"Syaoran Li just looked this way," said the first, fanning herself.

"He's so good looking," said the second, fanning the first.

"And smart."

"And good at sports."

"And really kind," added Miss Kinomoto.

"Watch it you three," warned Meiling, "or I'll make you do wall sits for an hour."

"Hoe!" said Miss Kinomoto, hands up defensively. "I didn't mean that-"

"We were only joking, Meiling!" laughed the first junior.

The second junior member said, "We know that you two were meant to be together."

Meiling believed that Miss Kinomoto would have no interests in her fiancé, but as for the two juniors…

They weakened under her glare.

"Please forgive us, Senior Li! We're sorry! We were just kidding! We won't even look at him," they cried.

Meiling chuckled and patted their heads. "Okay, no wall sits. You're lucky I'm in a good mood," she said.

* * *

><p>Meiling was starting to get on Syaoran's nerves.<p>

Since she doesn't see him much outside of school because he was busy helping the law enforcement and healers identify Ko victims, she had been attempting to spend every free moment they had together. She would bring lunch to eat with him, even if he had packed his own. She would cling to his arm as he walked to class, despite being in different ones. And she would look as if she would cry if he suggested he wanted to do something without her.

He was exhausted.

"Meiling simply misses her fiancé," said Sakura Kinomoto after he briefly mentioned the reason for his exhaustion in science class one day.

Syaoran and Meiling were merely betrothed for as long as there wasn't anyone that he liked more than her. It was true he didn't like her more than family, but then again he never knew what it was meant to be interested in someone that way. The betrothal never really bothered him. It was tradition.

"Try telling her what you told us," said Sakura Kinomoto. Daidouji nodded in agreement.

"I don't know," he said. "I've tried."

"Try again," she said. "Everything will definitely be all right."

The bell rang signalling the end of the period and the students were packing up or leaving the classroom for recess.

"You're both so busy, you don't see each other as much anymore," she said, swinging her bag over her shoulder. "Don't you miss her?"

Syaoran shrugged, he was too tired to miss anything besides his bed these days. "I guess."

"I guess?!" Meiling's screech pierced his ear.

He didn't realize that she was standing behind him.

She pointed a finger forcefully into his chest. "I've stuck with you as long as we were kids! I'm the person who loves you the most! We've been separated for two years and recently you've become busy. And what you say when asked if you miss me is "I guess!?""

"Wait, Meiling!" said Syaoran, straightening. "Hear me out."

He glanced at his cousin's friends and they nodded in encouragement.

"Well, what is it?" Meiling tapped her foot.

"Meiling," he began, "you can't keep going out of your way for me."

"But we hardly get to spend time with each other anymore."

"I know, but-"

"But what?! I can't help it if-"

"You're not listening to me!"

"I am so!"

"No you're not! You only listen to or do things when it suits you! You're being selfish, Meiling!"

He didn't realize that he was yelling until he saw the terrified expression on his cousin's face. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Syaoran, you idiot," Meiling ran out of the classroom, the crowd parting to let her through.

"Why did you say such a thing, in front of everyone too?" said Sakura Kinomoto, quietly. She and Daidouji left to follow their friend.

The once silent crowd started whispering. Syaoran glared at them and they dispersed.

He sighed, packing away his things into his bag and went in search of quiet place where he could focus on practicing his forms. He was just following their advice.

* * *

><p>Sakura ignored the crowd and knocked on the entrance to the girls' toilets on the ground floor. Water seeped from the bottom crack and she could hear the sound of rushing water. Meiling locked herself in with her magic and was in there crying.<p>

"Go away!"

"Meiling, it's us, Sakura and Tomoyo." Her cousin was busy persuading the spectators to give them some privacy and to use the toilets at the gymnasium instead. "Please let us in."

"No!"

They were alone in the corridor now except for Ms Mizuki, spell dispeller bell ready in her hand. Meiling was inside by herself.

"I'm sorry," said Sakura. "It's my fault." Tomoyo placed a hand on her shoulder.

"Why are you apologizing for?" said Meiling, she opened the door a crack. "It's not your fault."

"But I was the one who encouraged him to let you know that he was feeling tired from hunting Ko at night, a-and then he went and said those horrible things."

"Hey, don't cry," She came out and gave Sakura a hug. "It's not your fault. He did have a valid point. I was being a little selfish."

"But-"

"What do you think, Miss Daidouji?"

"I think that this issue is solely between Meiling and Mr Li, but I believe that neither of them is solely to blame," she said. "It is my opinion that they both have valid arguments and I am glad that Meiling is maturing and considering his opinions."

"See, Miss Kinomoto?" Meiling handed Sakura her handkerchief. "Don't blame yourself and stop crying already."

She was supposed to be comforting Meiling, not the other way around. "Sorry, I'm such a cry baby."

"Stop apologizing already!"

The three of them laughed.

* * *

><p>Syaoran didn't expect to see Meiling that evening when he arrived home late. She'd been known to hold long grudges. After the argument she didn't talk to him and avoided even glancing in his direction. Her friends hardly talked to him either, maybe out of some strange girl code of honour.<p>

But there she was there at the dining table with a meal in front of her, waiting for him.

She stood up when he entered, and gestured for him to sit. A plate of food was served in front of him.

"I'm sorry for making you angry today," she said, softly. The parents were asleep upstairs. "I understand that you've been stressed because you're out every other night on a Ko case."

"You should be asleep by now," he said. "It's late."

"Didn't you hear me?" She grimaced at her own sharp tone and said, "Sorry. I merely wanted apologize in person by this dinner I prepared."

He eyed the mean suspiciously. He was still irritated by her and she's been known to hold grudges for long periods until the other person apologized. Something felt off.

"You don't have to forgive me, but can you please try some?" Meiling held out the eating utensils to him. She looked as if she was about to cry.

He took the utensils warily and ate some. It was warm and the heat spread throughout his body. "It's good," he said.

"Really?" her eyes became brighter.

He nodded, eating some more.

The only sounds in the room were of Syaoran eating the food Meiling made.

"Can I feed you the rest?" she said after a while.

He thought about it. It was probably easier to agree with her. The quicker he finished the earlier he could rest.

He passed her the eating utensils. "Do as you like."

* * *

><p>Tomoyo saw herself kneeling next to a distraught Sakura who was holding Mr Li's bleeding hand. His leg was bent at an odd angle.<p>

Sakura raised her head. Tomoyo followed her gaze and saw a distant figure. She recognized Meiling by her signature hairstyle.

There was a spirit standing before her, larger and more solidified than anything she had seen before.

It raised a sharp claw.

"Stop!" she cried, shielding Meiling as the talon fell. She shut her eyes.

Tomoyo did not feel the impact.

"Everything will definitely be all right." Sakura's words came as a whisper and as a shout from nowhere and everywhere at once.

Tomoyo opened her eyes and her eyes met nothing but darkness. She turned. There was Sakura in clothes she'd never seen before and holding a pink staff topped with a star and wings in her hands. She was smiling.

As Tomoyo ran towards her, Sakura dissolved into a haze of cherry blossoms, and Tomoyo fell backwards into her bed, the birds greeting the morning with their song.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Note:<strong>

_- Thank you to all the reviewers, followers, people who favourited this story and all you readers. =) Part 2 will come soon. (I really like reading your speculations.)_

_- I actually witnessed a match like Meiling's one. The girl who won was from our team. It was the last match as well and it was THE best way to end the day's competition._


	9. Sakura and her Precious Friend: Part 2

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>"Where's Meiling?" said Sakura.<p>

It was recess and she arrived to their usual spot at the rooftop gardens to only Tomoyo. Her cousin had her elective commerce class with Meiling and Mr Li, while Sakura had home economics. Presea Pharle and Caldina Chizeta usually arrived a little later after their dance elective, and the boys occasionally made an appearance depending on their moods. Mr Li sometimes had lunch with some of his football teammates and classmates, but after the fight yesterday, it was no wonder that he wasn't here today.

"Meiling has gone to freshen herself up in the ladies' room," she yawned.

"What's wrong, Tomoyo?" Sakura had never seen her cousin yawn during daytime.

"It is nothing for you to be concerned about," she said, smiling.

Sakura shook her head. "But I'm worried about you. Something must have happened for you to still be tired."

Her cousin sighed and said, "Last night I had a nightmare and I could not return to sleep."

Sakura encouraged Tomoyo to keep going, passing the tin of madeleine cakes she baked during the double period home economics lesson. "Take an extra cake for your nightmare," she insisted.

"I saw Mr Li severely injured. He was bleeding and his leg was bent at an odd angle. And Meiling was being attacked by a monstrous spirit." Tomoyo ate a bite and wrapped her arms around herself. Sakura was feeling cold as well.

"That's horrible," said Sakura. She took her cousin's hands in her own and leant forward so that their foreheads touched. "Last night I had a happy dream of being safe and warm. This way Tomoyo will experience very warm dreams."

"What are you two doing?" asked Meiling, giving them an odd look. She sat down slowly.

"Mother always does this when I have a nightmare," said Sakura addressing the girl sitting on her opposite side. "Tomoyo had a dream last night of you being attacked by spirits and Mr Li getting hurt."

"Eh? Is this a foretelling dream?" said Meiling.

"I am not certain it was one," admitted Tomoyo. "However, it was very vivid."

"So it may merely be an ordinary dream. Ah, are those madeleines?" said Meiling. She took a cake. "My dream last night was of Syaoran giving me a bird pendant." She bit into the cake. "This is pretty good. Have some of my homemade spring rolls."

"Your spring rolls are amazing!" Its salty sweet flavours melted in her mouth. Sakura had to get Meiling to teach her how to make them one day.

"Have the two of you worked out your differences yet?" said Tomoyo. "You were talking to him normally again during class this morning, however I did not have to opportunity to ask."

Meiling smiled. "Yup. He's has a football club meeting at this moment, but he'll be having lunch with us later today."

"I'm so glad that you're talking to each other again," said Sakura. She had felt very awkward in yesterday's classes and didn't believe that she could continue not talking to him on Meiling's behalf.

"Speaking of Mr Li, it may be me however have you been noticing that he has been acting oddly today?" said Tomoyo. "He did not scold us for chatting during class today as he normally does."

"I'm sure that you're imagining things," said Meiling, quickly.

"Now that you mention it," said Sakura, "lately he keeps tripping or dropping things recently."

"I'm telling you that you're seeing things that aren't there. I've known him since I could remember, this is normal behaviour for Syaoran," said Meiling. "I think both of you need to rest."

* * *

><p>Syaoran woke up to the sound of Meiling crying. He looked at the wall chronometer; the sun wouldn't rise for another several hours. Meiling hadn't woken up from a nightmare since they were children. Maybe it was something to do with that off feeling he's been sensing from her recently.<p>

From experience, this could this kind of aura could easily continue to grow and consume the person's mind unless the person finds balance in their life. It was similar to the Ko parasite, but this condition originates from the person themselves.

Furthermore, this imbalance tends to attract malicious spirits that feed off this energy. The wards surrounding the house will keep them away for the moment, but for how long? He had to intervene now; it obviously wasn't going to go away on its own.

Meiling had her hand on the doorknob when he opened his bedroom door.

She blinked then wrapped her arms around his neck. Syaoran heard snatches of "I'm so glad," and "You're safe" in between her sobs.

That off aura was stronger than last time. He had to act fast.

"Hey, stop crying," said Syaoran. "I'm fine."

But she sobbed harder. He needed her to calm down.

"Come on. I'll make you pancakes." Quick and easy to make, they had it frequently growing up.

He gently loosed her grip and led her to the kitchens, lighting couple of lamps to not wake up their parents on the upper floors.

Meiling sat on a stool, sniffling throughout the preparation.

"Hey, are you all right?" he said, looking at her. His cousin was usually more talkative.

"Yeah." She wiped her tears with a sleeve. "It was just a dream after all."

He added the first of the pancake batter to the frying pan. "Do you want to tell me what the dream was about?"

"Nah, it's ok." She swung her feet rhythmically. "I'm fine knowing it was a dream."

"It's still better to talk about your problems."

"Ha. You're one to talk. You never talk about yours."

He flipped the first pancake. He had to make her talk.

"Listen, Meiling-"

"Syaoran, do you love me?" she interrupted him.

He spun his head towards her. "What? Where did that come from?"

"Answer the question. Yes or no, do you love me?" she repeated.

He put the first pancake onto a waiting plate. "We're family so…"

"So…?!" Syaoran winced at her tone. "Do you like someone else?"

"What? No," he protested.

"Miss Daidouji?"

"You're wrong."

"Miss Pharle?"

"No! Keep your voice down."

"Miss Kinomoto?"

"What? Don't be absurd!" he said. He flinched when he saw Meiling's hurt expression. "Don't cry. Have this pancake."

"If I were to die, would you care as I would for you?" Her words were barely audible.

He handed her the plate with the pancake on it. "Of course I would. So don't die."

To Syaoran's relief Meiling smiled.

"You really are kind."

She ate the pancake while he made more and suddenly stood up. "I'll grab us some juice. No don't worry, I got this. Cheers."

She got a couple of glasses from the cupboard and filled it with orange juice before handing it to him. Meiling clinked her glasses with his and they both drank their orange juice.

"Thank you Syaoran," she said while washing up. "Hey, do you mind staying with me tonight to make help me sleep like when we were children?"

Syaoran expected that she'd ask that. Their pancake sessions when they were kids nearly always ended up that way.

Her aura wasn't as dark as it was earlier, but it was still necessary for him to keep an eye on her. "Do as you like."

* * *

><p>Meiling woke up three more times before dawn broke and each time she was glad that Syaoran was there every time. He insisted on sitting on the chair beside the bed, but she managed to convince him to hold her hand while she slept.<p>

She could feel the warmth radiating from his palm like the sun, eliminating the shadows of the night that arose with sleep. It scared her, these dreams. She could visualize the gashes on Syaoran's leg, the bent angle, and the jagged edges even after she awoke.

Syaoran was fine. He was in front of her, but so were the visions.

"Uncle, Auntie, Mother," he said during breakfast. "I suggest that Meiling should stay home and rest today."

"I'm fine," she said.

"She kept waking up the whole night and hasn't gotten any sleep."

"And you were up me the whole time," she argued. "If I'm to stay at home, you should too."

"I'm fine," Syaoran said. "I've had less sleep while I helped hunt Ko."

The Ko. Meiling was so tired that she forgot to give Syaoran the morning dose in his food or drink. She hoped that the medicine in last night's orange juice would last until lunch.

She couldn't perceive the wings herself, but why else would Syaoran keep arguing with her? Luckily Kinomoto followed her after that argument mentioning his Ko hunting activities. Meiling managed to catch the infection early.

Meiling must sneak in the next dose soon.

"If you're going, I'm going too!"

"Stay here!"

"Don't leave me!"

"Syaoran, Meiling, you either both stay or both go," said Aunt Yelan. "We have matters to attend to at Piffle Palace and won't return until the start of next week."

"It can't be good for her to go," said Syaoran. "And I need to go."

"Decide."

"Fine," he relented. "We can do as she likes."

Meiling grinned.

"Syaoran," warned his mother, unimpressed with his tone.

"I apologize, mother. I've decided that we will both go to school."

* * *

><p>Meiling didn't want to be at school anymore and she just arrived.<p>

Miss Kinomoto was showing Miss Daidouji her necklace. It was a fine chain linked to two points of a small star gem. And dangling next to it was a little bird pendant, the exact same pendant she dreamt Syaoran give her two nights ago.

"Where did you get that?" said Meiling.

"Good Morning, Meiling," said Miss Kinomoto, obliviously smiling. "I was asking that myself. I woke up and it was on my necklace, but I can't take it off unless I break this star shaped power seal. What do you think it is, Mr Li?"

She held it out in his direction and he placed it his hand.

"Have you seen it before?"

Meiling left the classroom.

Did Syaoran give Miss Kinomoto that bird pendant? They were so close, so casual, and there was something in his expression that Meiling had never seen before. Something Meiling wished to see when he looked at her.

She ran. She needed to get out of there. The winds encircled her, sapping the warmth from her body.

If Syaoran loved her or even cared, he would follow her.

* * *

><p>"Sakura," Tomoyo called out for the third time. Sakura was still staring off in the distance and absentmindedly fiddling with the bird pendant on her emergency magical power necklace. She decided to change tactics. "Mr Li."<p>

Sakura snapped out of her daze. "Hoe? What's wrong?"

Tomoyo laughed. She did not believe that her cousin noticed how adorable she was being. That moment before their geography class between Sakura and Mr Li was so magical.

"Have you seen Meiling? She did not appear in my mathematics class today," It was recess; they were sitting in a sheltered spot in the rooftop gardens. There was a wall of ominous clouds rolling across the sky headed for them. Most of their friends opted to stay indoors.

"No, that's strange," said Sakura. "Mr Li was telling me earlier that Meiling was insisting on going to school. Maybe she went home sick. The sky isn't looking that great either today. Hoe, what's going on?"

Her bird pendant was tugging on the chain in the direction of an erratically moving figure in the sky. It was a dream-collector struggling in the wind with its many dream filled balloons. Tomoyo created a barrier surrounding him and his balloons pulled him to the shelter.

"Mr Dream-Collector, are you okay?"

"Quite so. I must thank you Miss. Without you I might've lost all of my dreams. If there is anything I could do for you in return..."

Dream-collectors trade and raise good dreams for a living. Sakura once told her during a magical research period how most people have four to five dreams per night but only remember one because the collectors would come and take the valuable ones to insert into their balloons. In return the dream-collector would tell the dreamer where to find a lost item in a dream or sometimes leave some money under their pillow.

"Would it be possible to receive that scarlet dream balloon?" questioned Tomoyo.

"Ah, but-"

"Surely an experienced dream-collector, such as yourself, would agree that one balloon is equal in value to saving your life and trade." She smiled sweetly at the trader.

The dream trader gazed at the balloon longingly. Then he shut his eyes and gave it to her. "This young lady drives a hard bargain. I'm no match."

He suddenly fixated on Sakura. "You, with the emerald eyes!"

"Hoe? Me? Emerald eyes?"

Tomoyo agreed with the description. Sakura's eyes resembled the precious gems in their brilliance.

"Yes you. I notice that you have a dream remnant on your on your necklace? Would you be so obliged to sell it to me?"

"This bird pendant is a dream remnant?" Sakura asked.

The dream-collector nodded.

"I've read about them," said Sakura. "If a dream is strong enough it leaves an imprint in the living world upon awakening. But I don't have any magical abilities."

"Maybe some magical power that is attracted to your star charm enabled the dream to take a physical form," suggested Tomoyo.

"Ah I see." Sakura inspected the bird pendant on her necklace. "You know, I think you can put the dream fragments into a dream balloon."

Tomoyo handed her the scarlet one.

"Wait! Don't-!"

"Is it all right?" said Sakura.

"We'll give it to Meiling," said Tomoyo.

"No!"

"Okay," said Sakura. She tapped the pendant on the balloon and it shined like warm embers.

The dream-collector appeared deflated.

"Sorry, Mr Dream-Collector," Sakura said. "Is there anything I can do to help?"

He became spirited again. "Ah, are you interested in trading for some more dream balloons?" he said.

"We don't have any money today." She checked with Tomoyo who shook her head.

"I accept cash, check, dream remnants, food-"

Tomoyo blinked. "You can trade dreams with food?" she said hurriedly.

"Homemade meals the best, but store bought food is-"

"Sakura," she said, "yesterday did you eat anything of Meiling's when we were talking about my nightmare?"

Her emerald eyes grew wide. "She did! I took a couple of her spring rolls and didn't you eat my madeleine cakes? That means-"

"Meiling ended up with my nightmare because you purchased it from me with your cakes, and then she purchased it from you after hearing about when she gave you her spring rolls, while you end up with her dream that resulted in the dream fragment!"

"Then, that if the nightmare comes true? We need to find her!"

The tiny dream-collector jumped, trying to gain their attention. "Hello? Are we still trading?"

"Sorry Mr Dream-Collector," said Sakura. "We need to save our precious friend."

* * *

><p>There were masses of spirits surrounding the Li Mansion. So far their spirit barriers were holding, but for how long?<p>

The presence of malicious spirits were triggering similar events in the city, the law enforcers would not be able to help them at the present.

Tomoyo and Sakura had quickly found Mr Li and told him about the situation. It was he who located her using is Rashinban.

His own enchantments shielded him from the spirits while Tomoyo and Sakura wore matching lavender cloaks that made them unnoticeable to spirits. Tomoyo always carried her enchanted purse with her everywhere she went. The cloaks had deep hoods and kept then warm and dry regardless of this strong wind and rain.

She could tell that irrespective of if Sakura could not sense or see spirits, she would know they would be up against something immense and dangerous. Her hands in her own wouldn't stop shaking even if her emerald eyes stared straight ahead.

The beam of light radiating from the compass was directed at the top of the building. It was Meiling.

She walked off the roof.

Mr Li created a whirl of wind, just in time to break her fall safely.

Tomoyo was pulled along to where her friend was being shaken by Mr Li.

"Syaoran?" said Meiling, weakly. "Why are you here?"

"More importantly, are you ok? Why are you here?" he said.

She nodded and started to sit up. "I thought that, I thought that if you caught when I jumped then it meant you cared."

"Don't think that way. Hey, stop crying. I'm here."

The skies started to clear. The dream was not a premonitory dream. Tomoyo exhaled.

"Everything should be all right now," Sakura whispered to her.

"Why are they here?" Meiling stood up, the clouds returned.

"Calm down," said Mr Li.

"Calm down?! Why aren't you answering the question?" She started to walk away. "You don't care! Why should I bother? I don't need your pity."

Tomoyo heard a large crack from above. The barrier was breaking.

Sakura ran to Meiling, "Wait, Mei-"

"Don't touch me!"

"They came here because they were worried. And so am I," said Mr Li. He pushed his way between Meiling and Sakura. "And it's not pity."

"Obviously it's not, because you'd need love for there to be pity, and you've made it clear that you don't love me."

Tomoyo had never seen Meiling's eyes look so dark.

"Meiling!"

"Leave me alone!"

The barrier shattered. Tomoyo was pushed back and she caught a glimpse of Sakura colliding with Mr Li. Spirits poured down and circled Meiling whispering terrible things.

"We need to reach Meiling," yelled Tomoyo.

Syaoran ran in carving his way through, Sakura followed.

"Sakura come back! The cloak only works if you don't touch the spirits."

Sakura unseeingly bumped into a massive spirit. It was the same as Tomoyo saw in her dreams. It had its claws raised. Sakura was too far away for Tomoyo to cast a barrier around.

"Sakura!"

Tomoyo heard the sound of what she hoped were just tiles breaking. Bone white powder obstructed her view.

"Mr Li, what's wrong?"

She ran in the direction of Sakura's cries. She was dusty with minor cuts and clutching at Mr Li's hand. He had a nauseating gash on his leg.

Tomoyo raised a barrier around the two off them.

The spirit, unable to reach its prey, left. It continued to head towards Meiling.

"Tomoyo," panicked Sakura. "What was that? Lighting? Can you save him?"

Tomoyo stopped Mr Li's bleeding with magic, but she couldn't tell what internal or spiritual damage there was. They required a more experienced healer.

"Meiling's negative thoughts have broken the barrier protecting this place and the spirits are spilling in. I need to get through to her before she listens to what they say. Stay here," she said, handing Sakura the scarlet dream-balloon. "Mr Li needs you."

"Tomoyo," she called, "be careful."

Tomoyo stepped out of the barrier and flew on her flying staff to Meiling, weaving her way between the spirits. She landed in her friend's path.

"Move out of the way," said Meiling.

"I will not."

"Fine I'll make you."

"Mr Li is dying."

"Wha-"

"He was struck by a spirit. I have stopped the external bleeding for the time being, but there he probably has some internal damage that needs to be treated immediately."

"Why are you telling me for?" Meiling tried to dodge her. "It would be better to call for a proper healer."

"It is currently impossible. There are spirits swarming this place, no authoritative figure is going to spare a healer or even reach the eye of this storm."

"I don't care." She kept avoiding Tomoyo's gaze.

"You don't care. You're crying, because you love him and because he is dying. He will die unless you can control your own demons and find balance again."

"It's impossible." She looked at Tomoyo, eyes filled with tears. "Then if he dies, so will I!"

Tomoyo slapped Meiling.

"And what do you hope to prove by dying?"

"I can't live without Syaoran." Tomoyo's friend held a hand to her cheek, shocked. "I might be mad at him now but I'll always love if for as long as I live. And if I go the spirits will too."

"Meiling," said Tomoyo, putting her hand over her friend's. "That is not what love is. If you love someone you will want them to be happy, to live and not let their life be in vain."

"But-"

Tomoyo pinched the other cheek.

"And if you were to die, Meiling, I would be sad. Sakura would be sad. All of our friends will be sad. Mr Li will be sad." Tomoyo was crying too. "If you were to go a part of us would too, because we love you."

The sun came out.

They stayed where they were embracing each other until a law enforcement team arrived with a simple butterfly-horse drawn open carriage.

"Are you all right?" she asked.

"Yes," said Tomoyo. "However there is a boy down in the courtyard that needs medical treatment."

"We've got a team there already. We've also gotten rid of most of the spirits in the area."

"Is he okay?" said Meiling.

"Hop on and I'll take you to him."

* * *

><p>Sakura hugged them both when they arrived in the courtyard. The field healers were treating Mr Li.<p>

"I'm so glad that you're okay," she said.

Meiling tugged at the ribbon on Sakura's wrist. "What's with the balloon?"

"It's a dream-balloon and it's for you," she said.

"We got it by saving a dream trader," added Tomoyo. "It also has the dream remnant from your dream you told us yesterday."

"You tie it on your bed before you go to sleep, and its contents will fill your dreams."

"Ready? One, two, three, lift." Mr Li was being loaded into the patient transport wagon.

There was another familiar face in the team of field healers. "Cousin Toya, what are you doing here?"

"Part time job," he said, holding one end of Mr Li's stretcher. "We'll have to take the brat to the hospital. He's under some sleeping potions and will have to undergo some surgery by the looks of things. But he'll be all right."

"Can Meiling ride with you please?" asked Tomoyo.

He nodded, and Meiling hopped in after them with a small smile to Tomoyo and Sakura. Her eyes glistened like rubies. "Thank you."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's notes:<strong>

_- Thank you again for reading, following, liking and reviewing. The comments also help me figure out what I might need to clarify in future chapters, so keep them coming. =P _

_- I realize that this is a little intense, but I promise that there will be happier chapters!_

_- Meiling is one of my favourite characters from the Cardcaptor Sakura anime and is one of the reasons why I love it more than the manga. She's so wholehearted with everything that she does. I hope that this chapter didn't make her seem out of character; I just interpreted her as being very extreme in her actions. _

_- To the readers from when I initially posted the first few chapters, yes, Caldina and Presea were later given last names. I ran into some trouble in later chapters when I couldn't use their first names to describe them and kept writing stuff like "the girl with the ponytail," or "Meiling's friend". It was driving me nuts. While I'm at it, I'll confess that I changed some of the words because I realized that I used words such as "just" and "really" way to frequently. _

_- Please don't spike other people's food and drink or self medicate. And if you are feeling depressed talk to someone. There's heaps of resources like beyondblue or the Kids Helpline. I keep a diary to sort out my thoughts. _


	10. Sakura and her True Feelings: Part 1

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>"Can Healer Kudo please report to...?"<p>

Syaoran heard the sounds of shoes squeaking, indistinguishable chatter and distant beeps. He could also hear the sounds of someone humming. He opened his eyes.

He was in a hospital room. It was mostly dark but he could make out the standardized bed, and tubes connected to a vein in his arm. A machine next to him made the pulsing beeps. Humming the tune was Sakura Kinomoto. She was arranging flowers in a vase near the windows and face glowed from the light of the setting sun.

"You're finally awake," she said. She walked towards him and slowly turned on a light by his bedside table. She sat on a chair beside the bed. "How are you feeling? Don't get up yet. The side effects of the medicine they gave you for your operation wouldn't have completely worn off yet."

She pushed him gently on the shoulder and sat back down after he was lying on the bed again.

"Wh-"

"Where is Meiling? She's fine now after all that happened today. She was here a moment ago but had to attend a counsellor appointment. She'll return soon. And Tomoyo was picked up by her bodyguards." She quickly stood up. "Ah, Meiling told me to call for a healer if you woke up."

"Wait," Syaoran said. She stopped. His head felt foggy. "Why are you here?"

Her uniform was still dusty and slightly torn at the elbow. "The healers all took us to the hospital for a check-up and I stayed because I wanted to make sure that you were okay and thank you in person for saving me," she said. "And to apologize for getting you injured because I ran headfirst into something I couldn't see."

"I-It wasn't anything-"

She interrupted him, shaking her head. "And there's something I wished to ask." Her voice became soft and she looked at the door. "I'm not sure if you remember but just before you saved me you called me by my first name. Do you remember?" Her bright green eyes flickered to his.

Syaoran nodded after a moment. It wasn't intentional, but she was running directly into a malicious spirit and her first name slipped out.

"I was really happy when you called me "Sakura,"" she said.

He felt as if he had a fever.

"I was glad because it feels as if I've been able to become good friends with you, Mr Li. I was wondering if I could call you by your first name, "Syaoran", too. But maybe that's a bit much considering I got you hurt…"

"D-do as you like," he found himself saying.

She broke into a smile. "I'll be right back, Syaoran," she said.

He watched Sakura Kinomoto leave the room. The after effects of the medicine were definitely affecting his thoughts.

* * *

><p>Meiling looked at the little red book the counsellor had given her. Apparently writing down her feelings would help her recovery process; more like the counsellor didn't want to do his job properly.<p>

She turned the corner, the string of the dream balloon tugging on her wrist, and ended up in front of the emergency ward. A field healer was pumping oxygen using a manual resuscitator into a battered male on a stretcher while another was finishing her handover to the emergency department healer.

"This patient needs to be sent to the operating theatre straight away. Suspected spinal fracture and ribs, and punctured left lung," she said. Meiling recognized the pair from when the nights she helped Syaoran hunt Ko. "We think that the Ko Cure was also involved."

Meiling waited until they patient was wheeled away and the field healers were dismissed before approaching them. "What's going on?" she asked them. "How did the Ko Cure cause those injures?"

"Ah, Miss Meiling, how are you?" The female healer waved with a cup of tea in her hand. "Some halfwit spiked another person's drink with the Ko Cure. One of the side effects that we've recently discovered is that the cure makes healthy people more susceptible to suggestions and more passive."

"And if they've been drinking they're even more prone to stupid situations," added the male healer. "The term "cure" is something of a misnomer; it doesn't remove the Ko. It only makes somebody more patient. They need further treatment and counselling. In a healthy human being it just makes a person more susceptible to suggestions."

"Since it doesn't have any immediate negative effects, the medicine has been made available without need for prescription," said the female healer. "But this means that there have been people that have been slipping it intentionally into drinks to manipulate people to their advantage. There have been some cases people using it to force others to "love" them. On the other end of the spectrum, there are also people that have been diagnosing others that didn't need it."

This put a sour taste in Meiling's mouth.

"Yeah, the government is trying to introduce a prescription system for the medicine. Already they've hired people that can see the parasite in hospitals and other major thoroughfares." He pointed at an elderly man by the door. "For example, all the patients and guests are screened by him when they enter the doors."

Their pocket chronophones lit up and started chiming.

"Sorry, Miss Meiling," she said. "We have another case. We'll chat to you later."

Meiling stood rooted on the spot until someone bumped into her. She took a couple steps forward and then ran until she arrived in Syaoran's room.

He sat in a reclining position propped up by some pillows and stopped his conversation with Aunt Yelan when she walked in.

Meiling went straight to Syaoran's charts at the foot of the bed. She scanned the list of medicines he was given. The Ko Cure was not one of them.

"Meiling, what's wrong?" said Miss Kinomoto from the other side of Syaoran's bed.

"I think Meiling is just concerned about Syaoran," said Aunt Yelan. "It's getting late. We can give you a ride home, Miss Sakura."

"Thank you very much," she said, standing up and gathering her things. "But my brother shall be taking me home. He's working at the hospital today. He should be finished now. I'm supposed to meet him at the entrance soon."

"I shall go too," said Aunt Yelan. "I would like to thank your brother as part of the team that helped Syaoran."

"I'll see you later, Meiling" said Miss Kinomoto giving her a quick hug. "Syaoran, don't overwork yourself. The healer said that you can't put weight on your injured leg for a week."

"I know," he said, resignedly.

Aunt Yelan and Miss Kinomoto closed the door behind them.

"What's wrong?" Meiling asked Syaoran. "Couldn't the healers fix it?"

"My internal organs are all okay, but when I got injured I tore a ligament and cartilage in my knee. There aren't that many blood vessels in that area so it will take some extra time to heal. I'm supposed to use crutches to keep the weight off it," he said.

Syaoran couldn't walk. He couldn't walk because he was attacked by spirits. He was attacked by spirits because of her. She hid the Ko Cure in his food. He wasn't infected with Ko. He could've died because of her.

He quickly added, "Everything will be all right. The healers said that I should be fine to play football by the end of the month. Don't cry."

Meiling bit her bottom lip to focus on the sharp pain. The tears stopped threatening to fall.

"Hey," she said, searching his eyes, "do you remember that promise from when we were kids? I'm your fiancé until the day you find the person you love the most, Syaoran." She had to look away. "But after all I put you through yesterday…"

"Meiling," he said, "I-"

There was a knock on the door. Aunt Yelan walked in.

"Meiling, Syaoran visiting hours are over. You can return tomorrow," she said. She glided to her son and caressed his cheek. "Rest well, my little wolf."

It wasn't until Meiling arrived at home did she realize that Syaoran let Miss Kinomoto call him by his first name.

* * *

><p>It has been a week since the incident and Tomoyo was still unable to figure out how to safely enable Sakura to identify spirits.<p>

According to Ms Iris Op's tome, Ocular Occult, the eyes are a vital and delicate organ. They are known as the window to the soul and are deeply intertwined with an individual's magical powers. They affect to what degree one could perceive spiritual presences and eye transplants have been known to also cause the recipient to receive the donor's magical abilities. Because of their vital functions, there has not been extensive research on manipulating the eyes.

Maybe adding properties to spectacle lenses could work.

Tomoyo closed her eyes for a moment.

Researching eye medicine was time consuming. It was beginning to interfere with organizing Sakura's upcoming fifteenth birthday.

"Tomoyo, good morning," said Sakura, sitting down adjacent to her. "What are you reading? Is it for your research project?"

"Good morning, Sakura." Tomoyo let her adorable cousin read the title of the book. "I am currently trying to find a way that will enable you to notice spirits."

Sakura's face paled. "Hoe? It's all right-"

"There may come a time again where you need to be able to do so," said Tomoyo.

Sakura grew quiet. Most probably she felt that it was her fault that Mr Li got injured. She had been strangely quiet about last week's incident since it occurred.

She straightened up. A hush came across the classroom and Tomoyo followed Sakura's gaze to Mr Li who had just entered the doorway. He was staring directly at Sakura.

Tomoyo had noticed some months Mr Li's growing infatuation towards Sakura. He had tendency to linger when she was near, glance her way a little too long and become more accident prone when she was close by. He became amusingly defensive about it rather easily.

Sakura herself would smile when she says his name and her conversations have slowly shifted to topics that involved him. It was unlikely that she noticed these subtle changes in herself, however Tomoyo knew.

Sakura's face broke into a radiant smile and entertainingly, Mr Li turned a deep shade of red. But before either of them could run into the other's arms a crowd of students surrounded him.

"You're back," said Caldina.

"Hey what's with that cane, old man?" asked Fye.

Tomoyo whispered to Sakura, "Are you not going to greet him? The last time you saw him was when you visited him at the hospital."

"It's a little difficult to reach him now," she said. "We have mathematics next period. Meiling doesn't look as energetic as usual today."

Their friend was hovering by the entrance of their classroom. There was something withdrawn about her expression. "I will talk to her when I get the chance," said Tomoyo.

* * *

><p>During mathematics class Meiling did not talk at all. Normally she would be whispering to Tomoyo about how crazy her family was, or how much weight she had left to lose to drop down a weight division. The past few days in class she complained about the tasks her counsellor was making her do.<p>

The teacher also remarked on her silence. "Finally, Meiling is putting effort into her studies," he said.

Tomoyo was surprised that Meiling did not even argue back. Something serious must have happened.

She put her hand up. "Sir, may I go to the toilets?"

"Sure."

"Thank you," she said, pulling her friend out of her seat. "Meiling is accompanying me for safety."

Before her friend or the teacher could react, Tomoyo pulled Meiling out of the classroom and down the hallway.

"Hey Tomoyo," said Meiling. "Where are you going? The toilets are downstairs, not up."

"We're not going to the toilet."

"Then where-"

"Shh, the roof," whispered Tomoyo, finger to her lips.

Tomoyo cautiously pushed the door to the rooftop garden open and ushered Meiling through. The temperature was becoming warmer in recent days. Some pale green shoots peaked out from the flowerbeds.

She closed the door and guided Meiling by the hands to sit on their usual bench. "Something is on your mind."

"There isn't."

"Is it about Mr Li?" Tomoyo suggested gently. Despite wishing for Sakura and Mr Li to have a happy ending together, she could not ignore the fact it will ultimately mean the heartache of one of their closest friends.

Meiling nodded.

"He cares about you a lot," said Tomoyo.

"But not in the way I want him to."

She chose her words carefully. "Have you talked to him about it?"

Meiling shook her head and wrapped her arms around herself.

"Will you talk to me? It is not good to keep your thoughts bottled up."

They both cast a nervous glance at a tiny spirit on the edge clinging to the fence. With a well-aimed flick, Tomoyo made it disappear. She surrounded them both with a barrier to make it harder for them to be noticed.

"Ok. You must promise you won't tell anyone, especially not Syaoran nor Miss Kinomoto." Tears started to flow down Meiling's face. Her voice grew thick. "He hasn't told me yet, but I can tell that he's in love with her. I'm so mad. No one, no one in the world loves Syaoran more than I do. It's so unfair!"

Tomoyo encircled Meiling with an embrace and let her cry into her shoulder.

"And what gets me even madder is how I still can't grow to hate Miss Kinomoto. I like her, too. I understand that she is a really good person. She's one of my closest friends! I can see that I can't help it if Syaoran falls in love with her. I can see it, but crying is something completely different! I love him and want him to be happy, but it hurts so much it's not me."

Tomoyo knew the pain of having the person you love not return your feelings.

"I'll cry myself to death so that I will never cry about Syaoran ever again!"

She waited patiently until the sobs subsided. Class would not end for a while and if it did, one of their friends would grab their bags for recess. And their teacher was not as harsh as he appeared. It was imperative that Meiling had the support she needed.

"Thank you for not judging me," said Meiling, wiping her tears away with Tomoyo's handkerchief. "I was worried that I was over reacting. Syaoran told me that it wasn't anything when Miss Kinomoto called him by his first name. But the only females he let's call him that are family members, and when he saw her today…"

"Maybe he is yet to acknowledge it himself at this point." Tomoyo was glad that what she said made Meiling smile.

"You're right. He's quite slow with stuff like that," she said. Her eyes opened wide. "Do you think that Miss Kinomoto has realized it?"

Tomoyo considered this. "I do not believe that Sakura would recognize his infatuation unless he told her."

"She can be an airhead at times," laughed Meiling. She grew more serious. "What about Miss Kinomoto? What do you think she thinks of him, Miss Daidouji?"

Meiling had asked her the question directly; it was only fair that she replied honestly."I believe that she would reciprocate his sentiments," she said cautiously. "But are you sure that you are okay?"

"I'm sure," her friend nodded determinedly. "But the question is how do we make sure that they realize that they like each other?"

"Meiling…"

"Don't worry. I'll be fine." Her eyes shined with her determined expression. "I won't forgive Syaoran unless everything goes well."

Tomoyo held her friend's hands in her own and said, "Meiling, if anything happens, please think of me."

"Okay."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

**- **_Thank you for reading up to this point. This chapter is the start of the second half of the story (length wise). I still have a lot planned for you to look forward to!_

_- To the kind reviewers, thank you so much. You're all so sweet and your observations have honestly helped me improve the story. If anyone finds anything that you find confusing or clunky let me know and I'll do my best to address it. I can take it!_

_- I had a similar knee injury. I wasn't allowed to weight bear on that leg for a month. Fun times._

- _Once again, please don't spike other people's food or drinks or self diagnose. And if you're going through a difficult time in your life, I find that talking to someone or writing your thoughts down helps._


	11. Sakura and her True Feelings: Part 2

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>Syaoran's knee was healing well. He had full range of motion and was now able to jog a little. The healer said that at the rate he was going he'd be able to re-join full contact sports sometime next week. He had to thank Meiling and her mother for their acupuncture treatment.<p>

His return to school had become progressively stranger as the days went on. It could be the side effects from the medicine he was still taking, but a lot of the conversation topics seemed to revolve around Sakura. And they were paired up for their geography and literature projects even though she was usually partnered with Daidouji.

The medicine would also explain why his face would get red and his heart rate would increase often.

Sakura.

Syaoran couldn't believe that they somehow agreed to use each other's name, nor how easy it was to get used to it. Well, they were friends weren't they?

Speaking of friends, Meiling, Daidouji and the others seemed to be up to something. He had to stay wary of them.

Someone clapped Syaoran's shoulder as he exited from his archaic enchantment class. It was Fye Flowright. "So I hear that you and Miss Kinomoto have been seeing each other a lot lately," he said.

"So?"

He dug his elbow into Syaoran's side. "You must like her a lot. Are you two dating?"

"What are you talking about?" Syaoran glared at the other boy. "We're just friends."

"Really? She would be up set to hear that. Right, Sakura?" Fye Flowright addressed the air some distance behind Syaoran.

"Very funny," he said.

"Hi, Syaoran," said Sakura, walking towards him. "Hi, Fye. Why would I be upset?"

Syaoran didn't know what else to do. He ran.

Why was he running in the anyways? Just because that idiot suggested that he was dating her?

He was friends with her. Everyone was friends with her. She's very kind and listens to others. She doesn't judge anyone and always tries her best whether it was sport, or mathematics. She smiles a lot too. It's natural to like a person like that and worry for that person when she's too busy worrying about everyone is to notice if her life is in danger. What was he supposed to do when she nearly got attacked? Let her get hurt? It was instinct. Surely if it was someone else, he would have saved them not because he likes them more than a friend.

That's all she was to him. Friends help each other with things that they have trouble with such as maths homework. Friends often have lunch together. Friends hang out with each other and call each other by first name. They save each other and don't let the other die. Friends don't run away from another if they see them.

Syaoran slowed down by the football field. Why was he running from her?

Maybe he was scared of her? His heart beat faster when he's seen her recently.

But he doesn't run from his mother.

So maybe it's not fear. Then, what other options were there?

Could it be the reason that his heart skips beats is because he likes Sakura as more than a friend?

* * *

><p>Sakura was walking home with Tomoyo through the park. Small birds darted and sang through the trees.<p>

"Is something the matter, Sakura?" asked her cousin.

"Hoe?" she said. "Nothing."

"Is it Mr Li?"

Sakura nearly dropped her bag. Her cousin could be amazingly perceptive at times. "Can you tell?"

"I can because it concerns you, Sakura," Tomoyo replied serenely. "But would you care to explain it to me? We can sit on the swings."

They were by the King Penguin play equipment. Sakura followed her cousin and they sat on the swings. Tomoyo was always her first confidante.

"It's nothing really. Syaoran just ran away from me today when he saw me. I must have done something wrong towards him," said Sakura, rocking herself on the swing. She felt herself blush. "And lately there have been a lot of rumours about… Syaoran and me. It must be embarrassing and uncomfortable for him."

She heard Tomoyo's soft melodic voice above the humming of the bees and sighing of the trees. "I do not believe that you could do anything that would offend him. As for the rumours, worrying about what people say will not help you, especially if there is truth behind them." She looked at Sakura with twinkling eyes.

"Not you too, Tomoyo." She relied on her cousin to be the level headed one.

"Well you are always spending time together and you smile every time you mention him or say his name."

"I don't smile when I say Syaoran's name," she protested.

"You are smiling now."

"Hoe!" Sakura touched her traitorous burning cheeks. "Tomoyo! What should I do?"

"Depends," said Tomoyo. Her hands sat neatly folded on her school bag on her lap. "What are your feelings regarding him?"

"I-," Sakura pictured Syaoran's face and felt herself blush further, "I-I like him." It was the first time she admitted it out loud, but she had realized that she liked him after he risked his life saving her. He has become a vital part of her life since they met, and if he were to die or leave… it was too painful to imagine.

"Have you told him yet?"

Sakura shook her head sadly. "Meiling is in love with Syaoran."

"Is that why you are not going to tell him?" said Tomoyo. "Meiling is strong. If you would talk with Meiling you would find she understands well enough that no one can control who they love."

"Yeah, but I'm, and he's so…" How could she ever be enough for him?

"Sakura, your value as a human being exceeds your magical capabilities. You are always thinking of others before yourself, and by being your kind, selfless self, you have touched many hearts. These are qualities that you possess that are rare in the population, even amongst the most powerful sorcerers. You are nothing short of miraculous, Sakura. Always remember that you are important to others."

"Thank you, Tomoyo."

"I would like you to consider one more thing. There are feelings that are best left in the heart, but are you content with that? No feeling will come across to others if you do not put them properly into words," said her cousin, holding her hands. "Our time is short and it is best spent with those that we love. But do not worry, Sakura. Everything will be all right, correct?"

Sakura felt a little braver. Tomoyo's advice never failed her before.

* * *

><p>Meiling heard from Miss Daidouji that her cousin had acknowledged her feelings for Syaoran. It was well past midnight but Meiling couldn't get to sleep. No tears had fallen. She felt numb. She felt like pancakes.<p>

She sat up and put on her house slippers. Her mind was set on food.

Normally she'd wake Syaoran up to make them but due to recent events, she couldn't ask him. She'd never made them before by herself but, she'd seen him make them numerous times. It couldn't be that difficult. She made Zhonguo dishes all the time.

It would be so much easier if she could use her magic to make them, but those kinds of spells needed the knowledge behind the method and recipe to work.

She turned on the lights in the kitchen and started selecting the ingredients. It only needed an egg, a quarter of a cup of sugar, one cup of milk, a bit of vanilla and a cup of flour. Or was it two cups of flour? Oh well. More milk could be added if it became too lumpy. Or maybe what the lumps needed was extra strong mixing.

"What are you doing?"

Meiling spun with the bowl in hand. A very grumping looking Syaoran was standing behind the doorway covered in pancake batter.

"I was making pancakes."

Syaoran looked at the kitchen walls and ceiling, judgementally.

"I was going to clean it up later!" she protested. She pointed the batter covered mixing spoon at him. "What are you doing here?"

"I was studying when I heard a noise in the kitchen."

Meiling noticed that had his sword in his hand. He reverted the sword to its amulet form, wiped his face clean with a tea towel and then grabbed a couple of clean bowl from the cupboard. He didn't bother changing into clean pyjamas.

"It's two eggs, two cups of flour, one teaspoon of vanilla, one third cup of sugar and one and three quarters cups of milk. Beat the eggs, milk and vanilla first and then in another bowl sift flour and stir in the sugar. Make a well in the centre and add the egg mixture in slowly so the batter doesn't fly everywhere."

He handed Meiling the bowl then started wiping down the walls.

"What's wrong?" he said while she was mixing the eggs, vanilla and milk. "You only want pancakes if there's a problem."

"It's not really anything you can fix," she replied, sifting flour into a larger bowl. She smiled at him reassuringly. "Don't worry. I'm talking to Miss Daidouji and Lecourt is known for treating psychological illnesses. Do you have something on your mind?"

Syaoran turned on the stove to warm up a frying pan. He had an unreadable expression in his eyes. "Well," he said slowly, "remember that I promised that I would tell you, Meiling, if I found someone that I loved the most?"

"So you found someone," she said. It wasn't a question.

Syaoran nodded. "Yeah."

"I see…" She put down the mixing spoon and bowl and took a breath. "Is it Miss Kinomoto?"

His eyes broadened. "How did you-? "

Meiling cut him off. "She called you "Syaoran" in the hospital and later you called her "Sakura,"" she said, mixing the egg mixture carefully into the well of sugar and flour. "The only women you let call you "Syaoran" or you call by their first name, other than your sisters, was me."

"B-but," he spluttered. "I didn't know I liked her at that point."

She burst out laughing at his bewildered expression. "You're so slow. Everyone knew by that point."

"Even Sakura?" He looked hilariously mortified.

"Everyone except Miss Kinomoto. She's as dense as you." Meiling blinked and shifted her head, trying to catch his gaze. "Haven't you told Miss Kinomoto that you like her yet?"

"N-no."

"You haven't yet? You're so slow! You think of all people, that she would realize it without you telling her?"

He flinched. "That's too soon. I only realized today."

She puffed her cheeks and stamped her foot. "You're taking too long! If you don't hurry up I'll tell her myself."

"Don't do that!"

She sighed. "Is the pan hot enough yet?"

"Yeah," Syaoran replied. He supervised her pouring of the batter. "Are you sure that you're all right?"

"I told you, I knew about your feelings before you did. I've had time to process it," she said, peeking under a pancake. It still stuck to the pan. "Miss Kinomoto is a good girl. She's very lucky."

"Do you know what she thinks of me?" he asked hesitantly.

Meiling raised an eyebrow at him. "Why? Just because we're cousins and I'm close friends with Miss Kinomoto, do you expect that I'd say you what she thinks about you? Ask her yourself." She tossed her long hair behind her shoulder with the back of her hand.

"In person!?"

"Of course," said Meiling. She could almost taste those pancakes. "Do you want me to tell her?"

"No!"

"Then hurry up! Either you confess her or I will on your behalf. Life is short," she said. He stood and pensively watched the pancakes.

"Don't flip yet," he scolded. He nearly grabbed the spatula out of Meiling's hand. She hit his hand with it. "You have to wait until there are bubbles all over the surface."

It took a few more tries, but by the end, Meiling's pancakes were a perfect golden brown.

* * *

><p>The bell rang signalling the end of their end of the week commerce class. Tomoyo and Meiling nodded to one another initiating the Get-the Adorable SakuraMiss Kinomoto-and-Mr Li/Syaoran-to-Confess-Plan version eighteen c.

"Hey Syaoran," said Meiling, "Miss Daidouji and I have some things to discuss about our group assignment so we won't be able to have lunch together with Miss Kinomoto today."

"Do you mind passing on a message to Sakura when you see her at lunch as usual?" said Tomoyo. "Please inform her to wait by the front gate when she has finished with Bartitsu Club activities."

He raised an eyebrow at them both. "Can't you call her through the chronophone?"

"It is forbidden to use the chronophone during school hours," Tomoyo replied.

"Can't you tell her in person later during the Magical Research period?"

"I'll forget," said Meiling.

"And I have a progress meeting with the teacher scheduled for that lesson," sighed Tomoyo.

Meiling started to push him out of the classroom. "Just leave already! We don't have as much time as it is!"

He left casting one last sceptical glance at the two of them and left. He could be trusted to pass on the message at least. The rest was up to them.

"You haven't notice anything different with Miss Kinomoto did you?" asked Meiling.

"No, did you with Mr Li?"

"This is so frustrating. We've been giving them plenty of opportunities to confess."

"We haven't locked them in a room together yet," said Fye as he walked into the classroom with some of their classmates and Mr Li's football team mates.

"Should we even bother?" said Caldina Chizeta. "I don't reckon he's good enough for Sakura. No offence, Meiling."

Presea Pharle nodded in agreement and added, "He should prove himself. We can make it so that Mr Li has to win a tournament or save Sakura from tower guarded by a dragon, or even-"

"Where are we going to get a dragon?" asked Meiling.

Tomoyo tapped the blackboard. "Sakura and Mr Li confessions need to come from themselves. And Mr Li makes Sakura happy and vice versa, and that is a good enough reason for me. As for the dragon, Princess Emeraude will certainly let us borrow a dragon should we decide to implement that plan."

Fye raised his hand up. "Can we still tease them?"

Tomoyo and Meiling had been discussing that last week when they formulated the plans.

"Teasing is allowed," said Meiling. "They're both pretty dense anyways. But you need to be careful not to embarrass them or it will take even longer."

"But at the rate this is goin'," began Caldina.

"You're one to talk," said Presea, nudging her best friend and not so subtly nodding her head in the direction of Mr Lafarga. He and Caldina both turned red.

"It would be easier to tell them the other person's feelings on their behalf," said Fye, "At least it will be less dangerous than trying to ensure that there are no interruptions. Syaoran's admirers are insane."

Tomoyo realized that there was not anyone on duty minding Sakura and Mr Li. "Caldina, Presea. Do you mind checking up on the two upstairs?"

"On it," said Caldina, dragging Presea along and pointedly not looking at Mr Lafarga. "We'll see y'all tomorrow at Sakura's birthday!"

"So what is the grand plan for Sakura's birthday?" asked Fye. "If it doesn't work, I'm telling them."

"Oh, don't worry, the plan will work," said Meiling.

Tomoyo laughed to herself. She and Meiling have been recently busy planning Sakura's birthday. It was going to be wonderful.

* * *

><p>Sakura was surprised to find Syaoran sitting all by himself in the usual lunch spot. She'd been trying to find opportunities to confess to him since her conversation with Tomoyo last week, but other people and strange events kept surprising her. And here he was just sitting there eating lunch as if it was the most natural thing.<p>

Her heart skipped a beat and she wanted to run from here. To where? She wasn't quite sure. He noticed her and stood up.

"Um, Meiling and your cousin are working on an assignment now," he said. "Your cousin says to meet her at the front gate once Bartitsu Club activities are over."

"Oh, I see."

Syaoran sat down on the bench and Sakura sat down next to him about an arm span away after a moment's hesitation. How far apart did she sit from him before she knew she liked him?

Her heart was beating rapidly. She hoped her faced wasn't red.

"They-"

"Saku-"

They both stopped talking.

"You go first," Syaoran offered.

"I was just going to say that they've been really busy lately. I've hardly seem them. It feels like I only see Meiling in class or during training, but I haven't been able to talk to her properly. She's not under too much stress is she?"

He picked out a piece of glazed chicken from his delicious looking lunch and ate it. "She's been doing all right. I think that being occupied is helping her."

"She's not busy tomorrow is she?" Sakura asked. "She's invited to my birthday but if she has so much to do…"

"Meiling's organizing it with your cousin. Didn't you know? She's hardly talks about much else."

"That's nice," Sakura ate a bite of her apple and examined her laced up school boots. "What about you, Syaoran?"

"What about me?"

"You don't have any other plans tomorrow, do you?" she said. There was a ladybug crawling over her right boot. "I know you have practice, recovery, and helping find Ko-"

"Sakura, I wouldn't miss it."

She smiled at him. There was a hint of a smile back. "I'm glad," she said.

She remembered Tomoyo's words, "No feeling will come across to others if you do not put them into words."

"You know Syaoran," Sakura said slowly, keeping eye contact with him, "even though we've known each other for less than a year, I think that we've become really close."

He blinked. "I feel the same way. I'm glad that we're, um, friends," he said, slowly to spare her feelings.

Friends. That's what he thinks of her. No, she couldn't be give up until she said what she wanted to say. She turned on the bench to face him. She had never seen that expression on him before.

"What I'm trying to say is that we've been through so much," she said with a little more boldness. "The Ko, you helped me with math class, and you saved me from spirits. I feel safe around you. And you have so many qualities I don't have. From when we met, you were serious and a hard worker." She took a deep breath and looked into his deep brown eyes and said, "What I want to say, Syaoran, is that you're important to me and I like you."

Sakura told herself that it didn't matter what his response was. It was enough that she told him. His happiness was what mattered, even if it was with someone else. It was as Tomoyo once said, "The biggest happiness is to see someone you like stay happy."

That's she told herself, but she could feel the tears threatening to fall and her heart breaking in that silence. She broke eye contact and tried to hide under her bangs. She could hear him start to walk away.

"Me too. I like you, Sakura."

Syaoran was standing in front of her with his handkerchief in his outstretched hand. She reached out stood to take it, her hands brushing his. They stood facing one another, unaware of the distant conversations and birds chirping in the background.

"Sakura! Why you cryin'?!"

Sakura and Syaoran jumped backwards.

Caldina pushed him back and Presea put a protective arm around Sakura.

"Syaoran, what did you do?!" said Presea.

"No. It's not his fault," Sakura protested. "Hoe? What's going on?"

She was being pulled to the rooftop door by Presea. Caldina was carrying her stuff and glaring at Syaoran. "We're takin' you away from this here idiot," she said.

They were completely misunderstanding the situation, but Presea had a surprisingly strong grip and they were almost at the exit of the rooftop gardens.

Sakura cast a final glance at Syaoran. He stood confused and shocked. She gave him a confused expression of her own. "See you tomorrow, Syaoran!" she said.

"Don't talk to him!"

He smiled at her gently. Sakura's heart danced. Syaoran likes her too.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

**-**_Thank you once again for reading the story, following and reviewing! I have a lot that I want to say about the writing process, but I'll save it for later once everything has been revealed. I will say though that there have been some reviews that have been spot on in some aspects with what's to come. Hopefully the story will still be interesting for you. =) Look forward to the next chapter revolving around Sakura's birthday!_


	12. Sakura's Birthday: Part 1

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>Even while asleep, Sakura was adorable. Her hair was splayed out like a halo and she had a pretty contented smile.<p>

Tomoyo did not want to wake her, but it was almost noon and nearly due for Sakura's birthday festivities to start. She had the rose pink puffed sleeved jacket, skirt and bonnet ensemble with a white flouncy blouse ready for to be worn.

"Happy birthday Sakura," said Tomoyo, gently shaking her. Sakura curled up further into a ball. She wished she did not leave her camera downstairs. She was too endearing. "It is time for you to awaken."

Someone knocked on the door.

"It's me." It was Meiling's voice. Tomoyo let her in. She was already changed into the wide-lapelled, double breasted coat and matching skirt that Tomoyo made keeping in mind Meiling's request for a more streamlined silhouette. Her outfit and the ribbon wrapped around her top hat was the same buttercup yellow of Tomoyo's outfit.

Tomoyo wore a white flowing top under a tailored vest and bustled skirt. Her hair was curled and piled onto her head with couple only a couple of locks left loose and swept to rest on her shoulders.

"Is she awake?" asked Meiling.

"Not yet."

"Seriously? She really likes her sleep. I have an idea," she turned to address her cousin, dressed in a twilight blue long sleeved jacket with short cape, grey trousers and tall boots standing by the bedroom door. "Syaoran, come in here. Maybe if you give her a kiss she'd wake up."

"What are you saying Meiling?" Mr Li said, alarmed.

"Kiss her awake."

"What if she hears you?" He held onto the doorframe while Meiling tried to pull him inside.

"She's fast asleep. Hurry up and kiss her!"

"I can't kiss her while she's asleep!"

"Hey, brat! What is this about you kissing my sister?" said Cousin Toya, towering over the Li cousins. He pushed up the sleeves of his long double breasted jacket and cracked his knuckles threateningly. "You can't kiss her while she's awake either."

"I didn't do anything!" Mr Li shot a dark look at Meiling before returning the glare from Sakura's brother.

"Maybe I shouldn't have said that that loudly. I forgot that he has a sister complex," whispered Meiling to Tomoyo.

"Brother! Stop it! I'm up!" yelled Sakura.

"Ah, the monster is finally awake," said her brother, relaxing his stance.

"I'm not a monster!"

"Cousin Toya, Mr Li," Tomoyo interrupted. "Would you kindly leave the room, please? We need to get Sakura dressed and ready for today."

Mr Li nodded. "Happy birthday, Sakura," he said with tenderness.

"Thank you," she replied sweetly.

Cousin Toya's eye twitched as he observed the two. He nudged Mr Li into moving and said to Sakura before leaving, "Happy birthday monster."

"What did you say?!" She launched a pillow at the now closed door.

"Those boys…" said Meiling.

"Sakura," said Tomoyo, handing the girl a towel and the pile of pink clothes, "go freshen yourself up and then put on this. We will wait here and then head downstairs where some guests should be waiting downstairs by now."

"Hoe! It's almost noon." She scrambled out of bed and hurried to her en-suite bathroom. "Thank you for waking me up," said Sakura before closing the door.

"Did you see the way Syaoran looked at her? He's so obvious," said Meiling merrily.

"And Sakura was in such a daze." Tomoyo was greatly looking forward to today's festivities.

* * *

><p>Syaoran walked to the parlour closely followed by Sakura's brother. It was a silent and awkward walk. He probably should try to get along with Toya Kinomoto, but every time they ran into each other they ended up glaring at each other.<p>

Sounds drifted from the parlour.

"You better not make my sister cry."

Syaoran halted and looked at Toya Kinomoto but he just glared, then walked over to his parents to exchange a few words, put on a bright yellow flat cap, and left.

He knew.

Syaoran gulped and forced himself to take a breath.

They were plenty of guests already in the room. Syaoran hung close to the walls and looked at the photographs adorning the room. There were many of the family and a younger Sakura. She was very cute even back then.

He paused in front of a large, rounded, stone tablet sitting on a pedestal. Its surface was carved with intricate glyphs and symbols. Some looked like animals, some resembled a cross with a loop at the head, and he even spotted one that he was sure represented an eye.

"Interesting isn't it?" Syaoran was startled to find Sakura's father, Fujitaka Kinomoto, standing beside him. "I picked this up on one of my archaeology digs. We deciphered the text at the university using some other bilingual artefacts with the hopes it would reveal some arcane magic, but it turns out that it's inscribed with the decree of an ancient King."

Syaoran recognized a symbol he once encountered during his magical research project. "Is this from the same people who built the giant pyramids?"

"Yes it is," said Fujitaka Kinomoto, "But even with our research and magical knowledge today, we still don't understand how they managed to build them and keep it intact after all these years."

Syaoran was going to ask another question when he heard a large commotion. He turned and saw Sakura entering the room. She looked beautiful. She always does, even when she had just woken up.

He felt the heat rise to his face. What was he thinking?

"It looks as if they're about to start the festivities," said Sakura's father. "If you want to know more, you should come over again. I have more artefacts that I could show you."

He walked to stand next to his wife and daughter.

"Thank you everyone for coming to our dear Sakura's fifteenth birthday," said Nadeshiko Kinomoto. "As many of you already know, today will consist of a scavenger hunt in the city before a dinner and ball at the Amamiya Mansion. Please help me for thanking Tomoyo, Meiling and Toya, who has already left, for organizing this amazing event. Now I'll pass it over to Tomoyo and Miss Meiling who will explain the rules."

"Thank you very much, Aunt Nadeshiko," she said. "Thank you very much for attending the lovely Sakura's birthday. We planned this so that everyone will have fun."

Daidouji held up a number of colourful envelopes. "Currently there are envelopes matching this but in different colours scattered at certain locations around the town. Each envelope will contain a clue that will lead you to the following clue or contains a task that one or both members need to complete before you receive the subsequent clue.

"No two group's route will be the same. The first group to arrive at the station with all their team's envelopes will receive a wonderful surprise."

"What's the surprise?" said Fye Flowright.

"It would not be a surprise if I told you," replied Daidouji, smiling.

"It's a really good prize," said Meiling. "I kind of wish I didn't help plan so I could win the prize myself."

"There is a time limit," said Daidouji, "once the station tower chronometer strikes three, could everyone please make it to the station."

"Also," Meiling added, "if anyone is stuck on a clue, you can find me by the fountain in the central park; I'll give you the next destination."

That would explain why they were wearing yellow garments. They needed to be clearly distinguishable from the public. They put a lot of thought and effort into this.

Daidouji clapped her hands. "Now, everyone please pair up. Meiling and I will then give you the first clue."

"Syaoran, you and Sakura are in a group," said Meiling dragging Sakura along. "Pick a clue." Sakura picked the pink one. "Okay, see you later."

No doubt Meiling and Tomoyo were planning to put them in a group together all along.

"Let's see what's in the envelope?" said Sakura.

Inside were an old photograph of a girl with long hair and a folded piece of paper. The piece of paper read"

"Like mother like daughter, the task is for you to find,

a photo matching this one, the next clue is behind."

Syaoran remembered seeing a similar photograph before. Where was it though?

"Hoe," said Sakura, covering her face with her hands. "This is so embarrassing. Everyone is looking through my baby photographs."

"Don't be embarrassed," he said. "My sisters used to dress me up as a girl and take photos."

She laughed a little. "I'd like to see that, a little Syaoran in a dress."

Syaoran didn't tell her that his four sisters bullied him into a dress not long before he departed Zhonguo for Lecourt. He wasn't ready for that to come out yet.

"I remember where I saw the photograph," he said. He took down the photo frame of a little Sakura wearing the same dress as her mother from the opposite wall. Their faces were very similar. Sakura would no doubt end up resembling her mother.

He flipped the frame. On the other side was another pink envelope. Most other teams were still looking for their matching photo.

They said good bye to Sakura's parents and went outside to read the clue.

"Think of a pair of chimes or two gongs, but not its ring.

Think instead of a place that sells many things."

A pair of chimes or two gongs? What did it mean?

"Could it be Twin Bells? You know. The store that we went to on your first day here."

"Do you remember where it is?"

She nodded and pointed towards the park. "It's this way."

They were briskly walking down a path lined by sculptured trees when something moved in the corner of his vision.

He motioned for Sakura to stop. He heard another set of footsteps stop a moment later.

"What's wrong?"

"I think someone is following us," he said.

* * *

><p>Meiling held her breath.<p>

"What are you doing here, Meiling?"

She jumped. Syaoran had snuck up behind her. He had become extremely good at masking his presence.

"N-nothing," she said, laughing to hide her surprise. "I have to make my way to my post, and it just so happens that we're going the same way. See you!"

Meiling didn't dare look back at her cousin and his soon to be girlfriend. She had heard that Syaoran made her cry yesterday during lunch, but neither of them would talk about it during the Magical Research period. Meiling hoped that once they were alone during Miss Kinomoto's birthday she would have overheard them talking about it, but Syaoran noticed her.

Miss Daidouji at least would be keeping an eye on them in the air.

In any case, Meiling did have to get to her post. If anyone was stuck with a clue, they could go find her in near the fountain and get the answer from her.

It was a nice day, only a few clouds and feathers dancing in the wind. The weather was starting to warm up. It would be a nice day for relaxing in the sun.

Meiling sat on a bench shaded by the budding jacaranda tree and activated her chronophone. After a few seconds, Tomoyo's image appeared.

"Hello, Meiling. Have you arrived at your post?"

"Yeah, Syaoran noticed me," she said. "Do you know where they are?"

"They have already received the present from Maki and heading for the market place. It looks as if everyone has already reached their first location. The green group-"

The wind picked up, Tomoyo's image flickered and several people were knocked town. The wind stung her eyes shut.

"Hello. Meiling?" said Tomoyo. "Are you all right? Can you hear me? I thought I glimpsed a whirlwind at the park."

"I'm fine. It stopped," said Meiling, straightening her top hat. She assessed the damage.

A man in spectacles was helping upright a stroller. The baby was crying in her mother's arms. People were helping each other up, but besides from that, it looked identical as before, only petals and feathers dancing in the wind.

She smiled reassuringly, "I'll just help a few people out and contact you later."

* * *

><p>Sakura opened the enveloped she received from the statue performer. Syaoran came closer making her dizzy with his scent and nearly made her drop Kero, the yellow, stuffed winged animal with a long tail and big ears she received from Maki as a birthday present.<p>

"It's time for a challenge, it's time for a treat.

TRI and bake a tasty cake that OL will want to eat."

"A bakery?" suggested Syaoran. "Does "tri" and "ol" mean anything to you? They were deliberately misspelled."

Sakura took a step away and turned to face him. Her head cleared. "There's the Triol bakery where my brother sometimes works."

"Do you know where it is?" Syaoran asked. He frowned. "Do you think that your brother would be working there today?"

"He works at a lot of places. I can never figure out where he'll pop up," she said. "But don't worry. My brother says mean things but he truly is kind." She pushed up her right sleeve. "If he gives you trouble, let tell me and I'll give him a piece of my mind. He's a push over. I once convinced him to play tea party with me and Tomoyo when we were kids."

Syaoran's slight smile made Sakura's heart skip.

Sakura clicked her heels and jumped off. "We need to hurry if we're to beat the other teams."

Syaoran followed and entered the door of the Triol Baker after her.

"Welcome to Triol Bakery," said Mr Hiroyasu Ueda, the manager of the store. He recognized her as she walked in. "Hello Sakura. How may I help you today?"

Sakura took out the clue from her pocket and handed it to him. "We got this and I think that we're supposed to bake a cake here?"

"Yes," he said, returning it. "Come this way, Sakura. The person who handed me the clue gets the lesson, and the other tastes it."

"Hoe?" Sakura heart started to beat faster. Syaoran was going to taste the cake that she made, and he was an amazing cook.

"Don't' worry," said the manager, "we're only making a small one."

"Go on," said Syaoran, smiling gently.

Sakura nodded. She listened carefully and followed Hiroyasu's instructions the best she could. With his enchanted oven, it was baked in a couple of minutes.

She decorated the cake, but could barely look at Syaoran's face when she presented him the cake that she made.

"It's delicious," he said, smiling. Sakura let go of her breath and he passed her the cake. "Try it."

"Good job, Sakura," said the manager. "Here is your next clue."

* * *

><p>Toya stopped the butterfly-horse and the two tall blond kids from Sakura's school exited the cab. Flowright, he was sure his name was, didn't stop talking the whole trip but somehow didn't seem to get on the other teenager's nerves. Toya was ready to dump him in the nearby lake.<p>

"Walk down this path and talk to the guy at the booth wearing a yellow cap," instructed Toya. "He'll give you your next set of instructions."

He watched them until they reached past his sight. He then jumped onto the cab and urged the butterfly-horse forward.

He opened his pocket chronophone. Tomoyo's face appeared a few seconds after he called. "I've dropped the blue group and am heading to the east gate."

"Thank you for letting me know," she replied. "Have you encountered any trouble?"

"None, but I'll contact you if I do." He closed the chronophone.

The butterfly-horse was cantering along the cobbled footpath beside the lake. Toya closed his eyes. Where was Sakura now? He opened his eyes.

That was strange. He felt Sakura's presence in the middle of the lake. The last he checked, she was somewhere in the vicinity of the market. She couldn't have come here yet and Tomoyo would let him know if his co-worker had picked her group up instead.

There were a number of rowboats on the water. The sensation was there again coming from the centre of the lake. There was a small white object skimming the surface of the water, ripples forming in its wake turning into waves which churned the rowboats unsteadily.

Toya swore. He cupped his hands around his mouth. "Everyone move away from the lake!"

He concentrated on creating a barrier protecting people close by. The lake was too large for him to make a strong barrier surrounding the whole perimeter but others also seemed to have the same idea and helped contained the waves.

Most of the other boats were heading to the shore, but Toya saw from the corner of his eye a boat in the centre close to the shining white object at the centre of a spinning orb of water. The man with spectacles and a dark ponytail in the boat seemed to be rowing towards it. He reached his hand out towards the object. The orb of water scattered into millions of tiny droplets dispersing in all directions spraying everyone.

The Sakura-esque presence disappeared.

"Hey are you all right?" Toya called to the guy in the middle of the lake. The man waved back in response and rowed to the rental wharf.

Tomoyo flew down on her flying staff.

"Cousin Toya, are you okay?" she said, slightly harried. "I noticed a disturbance from the air."

"I'm fine. The water was acting strangely that's all," he said. He scanned the area. "Everything seems calm now. But I can't be sure if it will happen again."

She had her thinking expression on. His cousin was the mastermind behind Sakura's birthday. All he did was ask his bosses and co-workers if they were willing to participate and she took it from there, handing out the envelopes and instructions.

"It would be safer to avoid this area for now," she said. "When you pick up new passengers, take them to the other locations once they've identified the locations. I'll talk to the others currently doing this challenge now and see if they still want to continue or move on. If it's the latter I'll arrange for their transportation."

"Okay," he said. "Be careful."

She took off to find the blond teenagers and he drove the butterfly-horse onwards.

Toya tried again to find the Sakura-esque presence but could only sense one on the other side of the park.

He arrived at his pickup point by the park's east gate. From the schedule that he was given earlier, it seemed that Sakura and her partner would be his passenger soon. Her partner had better not be that male Li brat.

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

**-**_Happy Valentines Day! __I hope that you enjoyed this non-angsty chapter =) Hopefully I didn't confuse anyone with who knows what. Let me know, either through comments or PM and I'll do my best to explain it without spoiling the future chapters._

_-Omgosh. Trying to figure out how to describe what everyone was wearing in Tomoyo's POV was a struggle. After the New Year's chapter and the first chapter I tried to avoid it, but nope, here I am again. _

_-For your entertainment, here are some of the clue couplets I made up but didn't put into the story:_

_Go to where there is music and stalls in an open space,_

_Find the still performer in such a busy space._

_._

_The wise king of the snow today wears a paper crown,_

_help reveal the jewels and metal and then slide down._

_._

_Fresh fruit and meat you can haggle for a price,_

_Who you are looking for sells sugar and spice._


	13. Sakura's Birthday: Part 2

**Disclaimer:**

_I have no affiliation with Cardcaptor Sakura or any other of CLAMP's works. Also any similarities to real life events or people are unintentional unless explicitly stated._

* * *

><p>Sakura found the butterfly-horse cab by the east gate as the clue said. The driver who she supposed was the guide was reclined in the driver seat with his yellow flat cap shading his face.<p>

She glanced at Syaoran who was staring at the guide warily.

"Umm, how do you do?" Sakura called out.

The guide lifted his cap.

"Hoe?! Brother? What are you doing here?"

"I have a part time job driving cabs," said her brother. He scowled at Syaoran. "What is that brat doing with you? Why are you not paired with the other Li?"

"It's not "brat," it's "Syaoran Li,"" she scolded. "Meiling helped Tomoyo organize the event. She's currently giving out clues at the fountain park."

Sakura couldn't hear what her brother muttered. He hopped down and opened the door handing her a pink envelope has he helped her inside the cab carriage.

"Brother!" Sakura caught her brother and Syaoran glaring at each other. No doubt it was the elder's fault. Despite the age gap, her brother could be terribly immature.

Syaoran climbed into the cab and sat next to her.

"I'm to take you to the next destination," said Sakura's brother, leaning into the cab. Syaoran moved a little away from her. "There are two locations hinted at in your envelope, but currently one of the places is now decided to be potentially dangerous, so I can only take you to one, once you have solved the riddle."

Sakura opened the envelope and read out loud.

"Choose which of these two places you would like to go,

a place where you can row over water or read what people know.

At each of these places is a difficult feat,

but only one task you need to complete."

"Row across water would be a lake and a place to read-" began Syaoran, fist under his chin.

"Would be the library!" finished Sakura.

Her brother coughed. "Correct. I'm going to take you to the library now."

"Which library?" said Sakura.

"I'm taking you to the main university one." It wasn't too far away.

Sakura's brother hopped onto the cab and soon they were moving.

"How many libraries are there?" Syaoran asked her.

"It is estimated that there are approximately a hundred in Lecourt city alone. A number are branches of the Central Library in Biblio City which is a few hours by train from here. It houses the rarest books protected by a security system and guardian beasts that haven't failed us yet despite numerous attempts."

After a few minutes, of silently riding Sakura said, "If we had the choice of the lake or library, which would you has rather gone to?"

Syaoran thought about it for a moment. "I think I would have preferred the Library," he said. "Culture and history fascinates me."

"You should talk to my father." She was sure that they would get along well with each another. "He's an archaeology professor. His current research is focusing on the interactions with other worlds during ancient times. You're doing your magical research on that topic, aren't you?"

He nodded. "He was telling me a bit about his research this morning."

"Really?" She wondered what they discussed. "It's good that you get along with the other members of my family."

The butterfly-horse had slowed down to a stop. Her brother helped her out of the cab.

"Just go to the front desk and say that I sent you," he said.

As they walked up the stairs, she could see from the corner of her eye Syaoran glancing behind him. No doubt her brother was glaring back.

She knew that Syaoran would be worried about if her family, especially her brother, would accept him. She blushed. They only confessed yesterday.

Sakura made up her mind. She took Syaoran's hand in her own and started running the last few steps. His palm was warm and a little rough.

"Hey! Wait, your brother!"

Sakura turned to smile at Syaoran. "Don't worry. Everything will be all right."

She pulled a face at her brother who could no longer do anything from the distance.

* * *

><p>Syaoran and Sakura skidded to a halt once they entered the doors of the Lecourt University Library. His heart was still pounding and expected Toya Kinomoto to come in with fireballs blazing.<p>

The library doors closed with a resounding thud. It was an impressive building with high guided arches and paintings that stayed still as he walked but moved as he stood still. He would have liked to examine them but Sakura was pulling him to the front desk.

The clue in the envelope they received wasn't plain pink like the other envelopes. It had strange red markings on it, and the riddle written on one side.

"The words are authors and titles of books,

the numbers are the pages you have to look."

"Paper magic" by Pepe Marche. 25."

"I've checked that the books are in the correct location, however, I'm sorry," said the librarian, handing them a map. "I cannot tell you where in the library it is in. But the information on how the library is arranged will be in here."

"All right," said Sakura. "This will be easy. It's only one book, correct?"

They walked through the corridor. The university library was even larger than Lecourt Private Academy's. There were five levels and books stacked from the floor to ceiling. People floated in small egg shaped reading pods.

Syaoran read the map. Apparently, the bottom two floors were for fiction books ordered alphabetically by last name and the top three floors were for nonfiction arranged by topic and then by author. Signs on the side of the shelves gave an indication of what books were contained on each shelf.

It was difficult not to get distracted with all the interesting volumes.

They searched the M fiction section but it wasn't there.

"Maybe it's in the nonfiction book?" said Sakura, pondering over the map. "But what topic would it be? There's so many: magic, crafts, literature."

"How about I'll check the crafts section on the top floor, and you check the magic section on the third floor?"

They agreed and arranged a meet up time and place. Syaoran climbed the intricately carved marble staircase and wandered the bookcases and started searching the crafts section. The Paper Magic book was there. It was an origami book. Page twenty-five was entitled "cherry blossom."

Was he supposed to fold the clue with the markings on it? He let Sakura keep a hold of them. He had to walk down two levels of the library to find her, but the floor was huge. How would he find her? Was there a public announcement system?

He was surprised to find her sitting on a stool, with the strange stuffed animal and a large tome on her lap, not too far from the main staircase. The titles of the books in the section all had something to do with dreams.

"Hey, Sakura."

She dropped the book. "Hoe, I-I saw this book, and, sorry! And-"

Sakura was very cute when she was embarrassed. He showed her too book that he found. "Do you have the clue?"

She found it in her purse and handed it to him. Syaoran then started to fold the paper following the instructions.

The red markings on the paper aligned.

"Exchange for a ticket at the Lecourt aerotrain station.

Then take the train to the final destination."

Syaoran looked at his pocket chronophone. It was an hour before they had to forfeit.

"We might be able to win," said Sakura smiling over his shoulder. She smelt sweet and flowery.

Syaoran closed the book, returned it to the front desk and followed her out of the library and towards the station chronometer tower.

She stopped on a turreted roof and pointed down the street. "Look! Is that Fye and Lafarga?"

Syaoran recognized the lanky blond and football captain running towards the station.

Flowright heard them and flashed a mischievous grin before sending a gust of wind. Syaoran jumped out of the way and noted that Sakura land on a nearby roof.

"Keep going. I'll cover you," yelled Syaoran as he unleashed a wind attack of his own. She bounded towards the station with the origami flower in her hand, looking anxiously back at the gaining Lafarga.

Syaoran focused his magic on trapping Flowright and then chased after Lafarga. He wrapped the wind around Lafarga's ankles, tripping him.

Sakura was jumping up and down at the station ticket booth, waving the tickets in her hand.

"We did it! We got the tickets first!" she cheered, hugging Syaoran as he arrived.

"Actually we did."

"We done arrived several minutes ago." By the station entrance were the Pharle, and Chizeta, the two girls that interrupted them yesterday, and Daidouji.

"That was quite a show you all put on. I took some wonderful images of Sakura," said Daidouji, taking more photos. She checked the station chronometer. "You can catch the upcoming train or wait until the others arrive so we can catch the train together."

"Sakura, what do you want to do?" said Pharle.

"Hoe, me?"

"You're the birthday celebrant, you should decide," said Chizeta.

"Well then," Sakura said. "Let's wait for everyone to arrive so we can all travel together." Her bright green eyes twinkled as she smiled as Syaoran.

* * *

><p>"Thank you Tomoyo," said Sakura, taking the drink voucher. "You and Meiling worked tremendously hard to make this the success it is." Her smile was simply radiant.<p>

"Thank you very much," said Tomoyo. Everything they did was truly worth it. "Remember to thank your brother as well. It would not have been a success if he did not ask his bosses for favours. What did you enjoy the most?"

Tomoyo listened to the others exchange stories of how they accidentally asked the clue from the wrong person nearly got arrested, mistook the still performer for a real statue and nearly drowned as more groups arrived.

A few minutes after the forfeit time, Meiling, Cousin Toya and all the other participants arrived and together they all boarded the train. They somehow managed to get a whole carriage to themselves. Tomoyo was in booth with Sakura, Meiling, Mr Li and Toya.

Meiling was complaining about how boring it was and how Mr Ascot and his friend from purple team kept visiting her for every other clue.

"A boy's heart is very complicated," said Tomoyo.

"Don't even joke about that, Miss Daidouji."

Sakura giggled.

When they alighted off the train, Tomoyo, Sakura and Cousin Toya led the way with Meiling and the other students following. She wished that her cousin was not around so that she could question Sakura about the confession that Presea and Caldina had unintentionally disturbed, but it could not be helped. He was doing his job as Sakura's older brother.

"What's wrong, brother?" He did seem to look more agitated than usual.

"It could be nothing," he replied. "I just thought that-"

The winds suddenly became millions of razor edges. She heard Cousin Toya swear. He then surrounded Sakura and herself with a barrier. Trees were being bent into grotesque figures. Presea was blown down.

"Sakura! Come back!" yelled Tomoyo.

Her precious cousin ran out of the barrier with her ring staff released towards their friend. Tomoyo could hardly see her through the wind, dust and feathers.

The wind died down and Tomoyo discovered that Sakura was on the ground. Her brother was by her side.

"What happened?" Mr Li asked, kneeling beside them. A crowd of concerned friends formed.

"I am not certain," said Tomoyo. Sakura was not squeezing her hand back. "Sakura ran out into the wind to help Presea, and then when it calmed she was on the ground."

"She doesn't look as if she's hurt," said Cousin Toya. His hat had blown off in the wind. "She's asleep."

"Excuse me," said a spectacled man with a long dark ponytail, pushing to the front of the crowd. "I'm a healer. Let me help."

Cousin Toya put a protective arm across Sakura. "I'm taking my sister to grandfather's place first."

"You shouldn't move her. Let me make sure that she's-"

Tomoyo's cousin pushed the healer's arm away.

"Maybe we should listen," said Tomoyo.

"We'll get our own healer to look at her." Cousin Toya prepared to pick up Sakura. How could have fallen asleep?

"Keep an eye on that man," he whispered. He carried Sakura through the parting crowd.

Tomoyo addressed the crowd while Mr Li and Meiling followed Cousin Toya's instructions. "Sakura has just exhausted herself. We will let her rest for a while before we start the ball and cut the cake, but please feel free to enjoy the food and music prepared at our grandfather's house."

She followed Cousin Toya as he took the sleeping Sakura past the concerned guests that had already arrived. She would talk to Cousin Emeraude later.

He lay his sister down in her bed in the Amamiya Mansion. His parents and Tomoyo's grandfather entered the room. Tomoyo closed the door.

"What happened?" said Aunt Nadeshiko.

"There was a strong sudden gale, Sakura ran out of the barrier to help one of our friends and when the winds stopped, she was asleep," said Tomoyo.

"All day there has been a weird presence that felt similar to Sakura's moving around town stirring things up," said Cousin Toya. "It appeared again with the wind, but it quickly disappeared when Sakura fainted. I brought her here because there was a man claiming to be a healer who I recognized from the disturbance at the lake."

"Where is he now?" said Grandfather.

"The Li Cousin's are following him now. What's wrong with her? Could it be a possession?" questioned Tomoyo. She did not want the same thing that happened to Rita and the others last year to happen to Sakura.

Sakura's father passed a hand over his daughter's sleeping form. "I don't think that it's malevolent," he said. "I can't sense anything incompatible within her."

There was a knock on the door. "It's us." Tomoyo opened it to let in Meiling and Mr Li. They were offered a glass of water each which they drained.

"We lost that phony healer," said Meiling, in between gasps. "One second he was there. The next it was as if he walked into thin air."

"Who was he and what did he want with Sakura?" said Mr Li.

The adults shared a look and didn't answer.

"Let's let Sakura sleep," said Aunt Nadeshiko.

Tomoyo took one last glance at the sleeping Sakura, and prayed that she would wake up soon.

* * *

><p>Sakura opened her eyes. She was in her bed at her grandfather's place. "Why am I here?"<p>

"Sakura, how are you feeling?" Her mother was holding her hand. "What do you remember?"

"I feel as if I had a really good nap," she said. "I remember walking with Tomoyo and Brother. Then I was somewhere with lots of sand, like the beach, but there wasn't any water anywhere. And then I was here."

"Are you sure that you're okay?"

Sakura nodded and swung her feet to edge of the bed. "How long have I been asleep?"

"Only for a short while," said her mother, tilting her head as if she was thinking. After a moment she stood up to bring back the pale pink ball gown that was hanging on the folding privacy screen. "If you're feeling okay, why don't you change into this dress that Tomoyo prepared? There are guests waiting for you."

Sakura took a closer look at the dress. "It's pretty low cut."

"That's fine," said her mother, serenely. "You can wear it to impress someone."

"Mother!" Sakura was mortified.

"Oh, are you thinking of someone in particular? You're skin colour matches the gown."

She hid her face into a pillow. Her mother calmly soothed her on the shoulder. "I'm sorry. You don't have to tell me if you don't want to."

Sakura felt a little relieved, and a little bit guilty. She used to confide in her mother with everything.

"Syaoran," she admitted into the pillow.

"Oh really? Yelan Li's boy?" Sakura buried herself further into the pillow. "He seems very serious but looks strong and good looking."

"He's very hardworking, dependable and," Sakura sat up and forced herself to look her mother in the eye, "and I like him very much."

Her mother's gentle expression didn't change. She caressed Sakura's face. "Have you told him this?"

"Yes," she said, feeling herself blush again. "And he told me he returns the feelings."

She blinked. "Did you know, mother?"

"I see many things," her mother said with a wink. "Don't worry. I only told your father. Mr Syaoran Li is a very respectable boy. Your father has a good impression of him from when they talked today."

Sakura exhaled. "And brother?" she asked. "He is always being mean to Syaoran."

Her mother tapped herself on the nose. "I haven't told him, but I wouldn't be surprised if he knew. It will be all right, your brother loves you dearly. He's just a little awkward, that's all."

They both giggled at this.

"If anything is wrong, tell me or your father and we'll make it all better." Her mother handed Sakura her dress. "Come on. It's time to celebrate your fifteenth birthday. Happy Birthday, Sakura."

* * *

><p><strong>Author's Notes:<strong>

_-Once again, thank you for reading and your kind words. I hope that you liked this chapter. I'm not too sure if the shift in Sakura's and Syaoran's relationship was too sudden for a one day gap considering how slow I've written then (still shorter than the 70 episodes and 2 movies it took them to confess in the animated version), but then again, they're teenagers. Romeo and Juliet met, loved and died for each other in the span of 3 days. _

_-Here are the remaining clues. _

_Your feet must be sore so take a ride,_

_In a butterfly-horse drawn carriage with guide,_

_At the East Park Gate he'll wait for you,_

_and return your "How do you do?" with the next clue._

_._

_Take this aerotrain, the race is almost done,_

_Rest, since once you get off it's time to have fun._

_...I don't think that I wrote one for the lake task._

_-I just found out that chronometer's exist. Haha. _

-_No, there isn't a Part 3 for Sakura's Birthday. I wanted something a little bit different for her birthday and also to move the story on_.


End file.
